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THE SxVRATOGA MONUMENT 

Erected by the Saratoga Monument Association to commemorate the Surrender 
of Burgoyne's Army to Gen. Gates, October 17, 1777, the grand finale of one of 
the fifteen decisive battles of the world. It stands on the site of Burgoyne's forti- 
fied camp, on the hill overlooking the place of his surrender. The corner stone 
was laid with civic and military ceremonies, October 17, 1877, and completed in 
June, 1883. 

Height, IS5 feet; Base 40 feet square; 184 steps lead up to the last windows, 
which command an enchanting view of from ten to eighty miles in all directions. 



THE 



STORY OF 



OLD SARATOGA 



AND 



HISTORY OF SCHUYLERVILLE 



BY 

JOHN HENRY BRANDOW, M. A. 

Sometime Pastor of the (Dutch) Reformed Church of Schuylerville, N. Y. 
and member of the New York State Historical Association 



Fort Orange Press 

BRANDOW PRINTING COMPANY 

ALBANY, N. Y. 

1900 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Received 

lUN. 19 1901 

Copyright entry 

CLASS CCxXc. N«. 

COPY B. 



Copyright 1901 
By John Henry Brandow 



\^ 



A 



s^^ 



,'?)^ 



<\^ 



DEDICATION 



To the 

Patriotic Societies 

in the United States 

and to all Americans ivho revere 

the characters and cherish 

the heroic deeds 

of their 

forebears 

I dedicate this book 



PREFACE 

This book, like many another, is a growth from a 
small beginning; the outcome of a brief sketch made 
for another purpose. The author never dreamed that 
he would be guilty of perpetrating a book. When he 
began the aforesaid sketch he supposed that the his- 
tory of the locality had been thoroughly written up 
and that nothing of interest could be found which 
had not repeatedly been spread before the interested 
public. 

This surmise was certainly true of the Burgoyne 
campaign with its battles and auspicious endmg 
which occurred within the bounds of Old Saratoga. 
All of this had become well threshed straw before we 
began our task; hence, we have been able to add but 
a little to what has already appeared in print con- 
cerning it, except a few anecdotes of a personal 
nature. We can claim nothing more with respect to 
that decisive campaign in the great struggle of the 
fathers for independence than that we have redrawn 
the picture from the view point of the "Heights of 
Saratoga," and have put into the scene a series of 
details which heretofore had appeared only as scat- 
tered and disjointed fragments. 

Our excuse for the book is this: While hunting for 
Colonial or ante-Revolutionary data relative to the 
history of this locality we discovered that there was 
very much more to it than had yet appeared in any 
form accessible to the public; and, what is more to 
the point, we found that this is the only locality, 
worthy of it, in the valley between New York City 
and Plattsburg, whose Colonial history had not been 



vi ' Preface 

carefully explored and written up. With this in mind 
we resolved to dig down and get at the roots of its 
history; so we have diligently examined everything 
we could hear of or find that would throw any light 
on that shadowy epoch in Old Saratoga's story; and 
we trust that those who are interested in such matters 
will agree with us that we have been measurably paid 
for the trouble. In the meantime we believe we have 
also discovered several important historic sites, to- 
gether with the name of the one local annalist, the 
anonymous Sexagenary, which had long been lost. 

It is a pity that there had not been more chroniclers 
to record the many interesting incidents which must 
have occurred here, particularly during the period of 
King George's war, and yet more is the pity that 
many of the records that were made have been lost. 
Still, as it is, we feel that we can assert without fear 
of successful contradiction that outside the cities of 
New York and Albany, Old Saratoga is the most 
interesting historic locality in New York State, and 
New York was the battle ground of America in Revo- 
lutionary and Colonial days. But notwithstanding 
the fact that this is the scene of so many events, 
tragic, thrilling, and heroic, in their character; events 
far reaching and superlatively beneficent in their 
efifects on our civilization, Saratoga is a name that has 
been made little of by American writers, and is sel- 
dom used to conjure with in speech or story. 

We have in this work kept the military history 
separate from the civil in the belief that the average 
reader will find it less confusing, and hence more satis- 
factory, than any attempt at mixing the two together, 
and yet we confess that the line of demarkation be- 



Preface vii 

tween the civil and the military is sometimes pretty 
hazy. 

That we have been enabled to carry this work to 
completion grateful acknowledgments are due, first, 
to the many interested citizens of Schuylerville, with- 
out whose encouragement we would not have dared 
1o embark on such a venture; to Mr. W. L. Stone, the 
accomplished Revolutionary historian, and to Gen. J. 
Watts De Peyster. military critic and prolific author, 
for valuable facts and suggestions ; to Miss Fanny 
Schuyler, for the loan of Schuyler manuscripts and 
for criticising a portion of the work; to Mr. W. B. 
Melius, the erudite keeper of the Albany County 
records, for help in our search for data ; to Mr. Hugh 
Hastings, State Historian, and Henry Harmon Noble, 
his efficient assistant, for their hearty encouragement, 
timely suggestions and valuable hints concerning 
historic manuscripts preserved in the State Library ; 
and to Mr. Arnold J. F. van Laer, State Archivist, for 
invaluable assistance in deciphering some of the 
ancient manuscripts under his care. 

We are also especially obligated to Mr. C. W. May- 
hew of Schuylerville for the free use of his library, rich 
in historic works ; to Miss Anna Hill for generously type- 
writing a large portion of the manuscript ; to Mrs. John 
H. Lowber and Mrs. Jane Marshall for courteously per- 
mitting a careful examination of their historic homes, 
and for interesting facts connected therewith. 

We also feel deeply indebted to Rev. F. C. Scoville of 
Greenwich, N. Y., for valuable assistance in our search 
for the author of the Sexagenary. 

Schuylerville, N. Y.^ Dec, 15, 1900. 



CONTENTS OF BOOK I 

MILITARY HISTORY 

CHAPTER I 

Champlain's discovery. His fight with the Iroquois. Hud- 
son's discovery of the river. First attack of the Iroquois on the 
Canadian settlements, and capture of Father Jogues. Escape of 
Jogues. Jogues' subsequent mission of peace to the Mohawks, 
and discovery of the country between Lake George and Albany. 
His mission to the Mohawks and martyrdom. 

CHAPTER II 

Saratoga; varied spelling of the name. Significance of the 
name. Fishing weirs at the foot of Saratoga lake. 

CHAPTER III 

The Indian trails that met at Old Saratoga. Courcelle's ex- 
pedition against the Mohawks. Marquis de Tracy's expedition. 
Impolicy of Denonville. Descent of the Five Nations upon 
Canada. 

CHAPTER IV 

War of the English Revolution. Expedition against Albany 
diverted to Schenectady. Massacre at Schenectady. Winthrop's 
expedition against Canada. The blockhouse at Saratoga. The 
little army stalled at Whitehall. Johannes Schuyler, dissatisfied, 
leads a successful raid against Laprairie, Canada. Pieter Schuy- 
ler duplicates his brother's raid the next year. Frontenac pun- 
ishes the Mohawks. The peace of Ryswick. 

CHAPTER V 

First settlement at Old Saratoga. Queen Anne's war. Why 
the Canadian Indians harassed Massachusetts, but spared New 



X Contents 

York. Pieter Schuyler builds a blockhouse fort at Saratoga, 
1709. First military road. Nicholson's expedition against 
Canada. Nicholson's second attempt against Canada, in 171 1. 

CHAPTER VI 

Reasons suggested why so little is said in history of the de- 
struction of Old Saratoga. More about the early settlements 
at Old Saratoga. The French build a fort at Crown Point — 
Why? Effect of this move upon the English colonists. Philip 
Livingston builds a fort at Old Saratoga. Another fort built 
in 1739. Rebuilt in 1745. King George's war. 

CHAPTER Vn 
Destruction of Saratoga 

Marin starts on a foray against settlements along the Connec- 
ticut. Diverted by Indians against Saratoga. Experiences at 
Lydius' house. Ford the river at the State Dam. Description 
of Old Saratoga before the massacre. The attack as told by the 
French Journal. Sander's letter to Sir Wm. Johnson concerning 
it. Public indignation against the authorities for the defense- 
less state of Saratoga. 

CHAPTER VIII 

Fort Clinton. Its Site. Its Fate 

The fort at Saratoga rebuilt and named Fort Clinton. The 
first garrison and its experiences. Relieved by force under 
Capt. Henry Livingston. Herbin's attack on a detachment 
headed for Albany. He captures letters describing the wretched 
conditions at the fort. St. Luc's attack on Fort Clinton. His 
success in ambushing a part of the garrison. Site of Fort Clin- 
ton and its predecessor discovered. M. Rigaud's fruitless re- 
connaissance. Letter from Commandant to Sir William Johnson 
referring to the attack, and disclosures of an Indian. Peter 
Kalm's story of St. Luc's attack. The garrison of Fort Clinton 
mutinies. Governor Clinton orders the destruction and abandon- 
ment of the fort. Visit of de Villiers to the ruins. He describes 
them. King Hendrick refers to the fort in a speech. 



Contents xi 

CHAPTER IX 
The French and Indian War 

First blow struck by George Washington. Three expeditions 
against the French in 1755. Sir William Johnson's battle with 
Dieskau at Lake George. He re-christens Lac St. Sacrament 
and Fort Lyman. About bad roads, and the ford and ferry at 
Old Saratoga. Campaign of 1756 under Gen. John Winslow. 
Its failure. Campaign of 1757. Montcalm's reduction of Fort 
William Henry, and General Webb's cowardly behavior. Story 
of the moccasin print. Building of Fort Hardy under Colonel 
Montressor. A nondescript blockhouse fort. Campaign of 1758. 
Abercrombie's march up the valley. His defeat at Ticonderoga. 
Successful campaign of Amherst and Wolfe, in 1759. 

CHAPTER X 

The Revolution 

Causes of the war. Events of 1775-1776. Campaign of 1777 
planned. Gen. John Burgoyne given command of northern army. 
Description of his army. Invests Ticonderoga, seizes Sugar 
Loaf Mountain and plants a battery thereon. St. Clair evacuates 
Ticonderoga. Battles at Hubbardton, Vt., and Fort Anne. The 
panic that followed the loss of Ticonderoga. Was Schuyler to 
blame for the loss of that post? History of his efforts to prop- 
erly man it. Gates' intrigues. Schuyler blocks Burgoyne's pas- 
sage. Stampede of the inhabitants. 

CHAPTER XI 

Burgoyne posted at Skenesborough. Jubilation of the British 
over their success. The Jane McCrea tragedy. St. Clair joins 
Schuyler. The militia desert him. He and Washington appeal 
for more troops. Congress and New England apathetic. Wash- 
ington sends up Arnold. Schuyler withdraws to Moses' Creek 
and begins to fortify. Retreats to Saratoga, then to Stillwater. 
He sends Arnold to the relief of Gansevoort, at Fort Schuyler. 
Retreats to the mouth of the Mohawk. Movements of Bur- 
goyne. The battle of Bennington. Schuyler relieved by Gates. 
Comments on Schuyler's character. Burgoyne delayed a month 



xii Contents 

by the disaster at Bennington. Crosses the Hudson. Advance 
by slow stages to Sword's house. Gates advances first to Still- 
water, then to Bemis Heights, where he begins to fortify. De- 
scription of American camp. 

CHAPTER Xn 
Battle of the iqth of September 

Colonel Colburn's early morning scout. Burgoyne and 
Fraser advance to turn the American left wing. Gates 
proposes to await in his camp the attack, but is persuaded by Ar- 
nold to assail Burgoyne beyond the lines. Morgan meets Major 
Forbes' scouting party near Freeman's cottage and drives them 
back with loss. Description of the battle. Riedesel saves the 
British from rout. Whose victory was it? Burgoyne counter- 
mands his order for a renewal of the attack. Why Lord Howe 
did not co-operate with Burgoyne. The burial of the dead. 
Burgoyne fortifies his camp. How his forces were disposed. 
No rest for the British within their camp. Situation in the 
American camp. Rupture between Gates and Arnold. 

CHAPTER Xni 

Battle of the 7th of October 

Burgoyne calls a council of war to consider the situation. He 
resolves to make a reconnaissance in force of Gates' position. 
Moves out some distance to his right and deploys into line. 
Gates, apprised of movement, dispatches an officer to ascertain its 
nature. He resolves to attack Burgoyne. Arnold, deprived of 
all command, chafes in camp. He breaks loose and starts for 
the front without orders. Fraser shot. Arnold storms the Brit- 
ish right and ends the fight. Difference in spirit exhibited by 
Gates and Burgoyne in this battle. 

CHAPTER XIV 
The Retreat 

Burgoyne withdraws his forces to the river. Death of Gen- 
eral Fraser. Burgoyne's description of his burial. The retreat 



Contents xiii 

to Coveville and delay. The woes of Burgoyne's bateaumen. 
Lady Ackland obtains permission to join her husband in the 
American camp. Burgoyne's graceful letter of commendation. 
Gates sends General Fellows to occupy Saratoga, and guard the 
ford. Colonel Sutherland, ascertaining his tmguarded state, 
requests permission of Burgoyne to attempt his capture. The 
British army moves forward and occupies the Heights of Sara- 
toga. Burgoyne has a night's carouse in the Schuyler mansion. 
Baroness Riedesel describes the discomforts of the retreat. Gates 
reinforces Fellows. Captain Furnival cannonades the Marshall 
house. 

CHAPTER XV 

The Siege 

Burgoyne fortifies his camp on the Heights of Saratoga. How 
his army was posted. Burgoyne reconnoitres toward Fort Ed- 
ward, but recalls the detachment. Gates' tardy pursuit. Bur- 
goyne burns the Schuyler buildings. Gates orders an attack on 
Burgoyne. Burgoyne is forewarned, and prepares to receive it. 
The details of the affair. Gates decides to starve Burgoyne into 
submission, and completes his lines of circumvallation. Situation 
of the besieged. The Baroness Riedesel relates her hard experi- 
ences in the Marshall house. Rewards the brave German woman, 
who furnished them with water. 

CHAPTER XVI 

The Capitulation 

Burgoyne calls council of war and discusses the question of 
surrender. The cannon ball argument. Burgoyne dispatches an 
officer to Gates with a. proposal. Gates gives terms on which he 
will accept surrender, which prove offensive to the Britons. Bur- 
goyne proposes milder terms. Gates accepts. Burgoyne gets 
cheering news from Clinton ; calls another council of war, and 
proposes to recede from his agreement. Cotmcil decides that 
public faith has been pledged. Burgoyne signs the "Convention." 
Articles of surrender. Extract from De Peyster's Ode on the 
Surrender. Reflections on the feelings of victors and vanquished. 



xiv Contents 

Description of the formal surrender. Baroness Riedesel's re- 
ception by General Schuyler. "Yankee Doodle" first played as 
an American martial air. The Stars and Stripes first unfurled 
to grace a victor}-. General Schu3der's magnanimity toward Bur- 
goyne. Number of prisoners surrendered, and size of Gates' 
army. Saratoga a decisive battle. Why? "17th. A day famous 
in the annals of America." The fate of the two armies. Guide 
to the battlefield. 

CHAPTER XVII 

The Sexagenary 
Who was he? The identification of this anonymous author. 

CHAPTER XVIII 

Anecdotes 

Stampede of the inhabitants. Its cause. Experience of the 
Marshall family. Trials of the Rogers family. Neilson's en- 
counter with the big Indian. 

CHAPTER XIX 

Anecdotes — Continued 

Capture of the British picket by young farmers. Lieutenant 
Hardin's narrow escape. The saving of the old Dutch church. 
Return of the Beckers to Saratoga. Cannonade of the old Dutch 
church. A militiaman captures two of Burgoyne's horses. Ro- 
mance of the Maguires. The Sexagenary describes Burgoyne, 
and the Hessians. He also tells of captured Indians, and of 
the plunder of the British camp. Jacob Koons gets even with 
Burgoyne. Make "elbow room" for Burgoyne. Burgoyne enter- 
tained at Albany by General Schuyler. Startling question of 
little Miss Riedesel. Saratoga after its desertion by the armies. 
The search for cannon, etc., in the river. Colonel Van Veghten's 
narrow escape. The dog gagged by a garter. Dunham's daring 
capture of Lovelass. 



Contents xv 

CHAPTER XX 

The War of 1812 and the Civil War 

War of 1812 in brief. The Civil War a struggle for self-pres- 
ervation. Patriotism not dead as some supposed. Bull Run 
dispels the illusion about the strength of the insurrection. Judge 
McKean's clarion call to arms. The Bemis Heights battalion 
starts for the front. Hardships of first campaign decimate the 
regiment. Schuylerville raises an entire company. List of the 
battles in v^^hich the 77th participated. The 77th mustered out. 
Sufiferings and sacrifices of wives and mothers. 



CONTENTS OF BOOK II 

CIVIL HISTORY 

CHAPTER I 

The name, Saratoga or Schuylerville. The Saratoga Patent. 
First settlers. The location of old Saratoga; its mills. The re-set- 
tlement after the massacre. The visit of Peter Kalm, the Swedish 
naturalist. Old Saratoga's development under Philip Schuyler. 
Mrs. Grant's description of Schuyler's Saratoga enterprises. 

CHAPTER n 

First permanent settlers. Their names and locations. 

CHAPTER ni 

How THE Pioneer Fathers Lived 

How log houses were built. How fires were started, borrowing 
fire. Table furniture. Carpets. Wearing apparel. Tailoring. 
Footwear. Medicinal herbs. Farming tools. Milling. Amuse- 
ments. Transportation. 

CHAPTER IV 
Revolutionary Trials 

The people take sides. The news of Lexington and Concord. 
Farmers impressed into service. The flight of the people. After 
their return. Tory raids. 

CHAPTER V 
The Schuyler Mansions and Their Occupants 

Mansion No. L Mansion No. H. Philip Schuyler and his 
family. Revolutionary experiences. Attempt on General Schuy- 
ler's life. Mrs. Schuyler burns the wheat fields. Burgoyne's 
carouse. Burgoyne burns mansion No. H. The building of 
mansion No. III. Description of mansion No. IIL Schuyler 
builds first road to Saratoga Springs. Washington's visit to old 
Saratoga. 



xviii Contents 

CHAPTER VI 
Mansion No. III. — Continued 

John Bradstreet Schuyler. Death of John Bradstreet Schuyler. 
Philip Schuyler, 2nd. Visit of Marquis de Lafayette. Hospi- 
tality of the Schuylers. Departure of the Schuylers. The 
Strovers. 

CHAPTER Vn 

Post Revolutionary Settlement 

Early roads. Lateral roads. The partition of the district ot 
Saratoga. How Saratoga Springs got its name. 

CHAPTER Vni 

Villages 

The first store in the township. Dunham's Hill. Deans Cor- 
ners. Quaker Springs. Grangerville. Coveville. Victory Mills. 
Smithville. Schuylerville. The effect of the canal on the 
growth of Schuylerville. Earliest fire department. The advent 
of railroads. 

CHAPTER IX 

Manufactures 

The cotton mills. Schuylerville Paper Co. The grist and 
flouring mills. The Thompson Pulp and Paper Co. The Amer- 
ican Woodboard Co. The Liberty Wall Paper Co. The electric 
railroad. 

CHAPTER X 

The Churches and Schools 

The Dutch Reformed Church 

First reference to religious affairs at Saratoga. First church 
built. Location of same. Re-organization of church after the 
Revolution. Lining out the hymns abolished. Introduction of 
stoves. Union with the church at Tissiook. A lottery proposed 
to pay church debts. The first parsonage. Removal to, and 
building on, a new site. This church burns, and a itone one built. 



Contents xix 

Building of the present brick church. SeUing the original par- 
sonage, and building a new one. Parsonage No. III. List of 
pastors of the Reformed church. 

Baptist Church 

The first notice of this church. Notice of Samuel Rogers, the 
first minister. The first church edifice. Where located. The 
new, or present, church and parsonage. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church 

Early struggles. The building of the church. The itinerant 
preacher, and his hardships. The church enlarged. A parsonage 
built. List of pastors under the old_ circuit system. List of pas- 
tors after Schuylerville became a charge. 

The Episcopal Church 

The beginnings of this society. First services in Schuylerville. 
Building a church. List of rectors. 

Church of the Visitation (Roman Catholic) 

First services in Schuylerville. Building of the first church 
edifice. List of pastors. Building of the new church and par- 
sonage. Church of Notre Dame de Lourdes. 

Schools 

First schools. The academy. The union free school. 

The Press 

The various papers started and discontinued. The Schuyler- 
ville Standard. 

CHAPTER XI 

The Monument 

The monument association. Laying the corner-stone. Cen- 
tennial celebration. Description of the monument. Views from 
monument. 

CHAPTER XII 
Guide to Schuylerville and old Saratoga, with historical map. 



INTRODUCTION 

It would be impossible to write an intelligible narrative 
of Old Saratoga, now Schuylerville, without sketching 
the broader field of history of which it forms a part. 
As well attempt a satisfactory description of a two-mile 
section of the majestic Hudson that flows before it with- 
out telling whence the river rises and whither its gleam- 
ing waters go. Old Saratoga is but one link in a chain 
of marvellous story. We must at least catch a glimpse 
of the whole chain or we shall never come to appreciate 
this one golden link. 

That the place now called Schuylerville has become 
historic is due neither to the size of the towUj the famous 
deeds of its inhabitants, nor because someone whom the 
world calls specially great was born here. It was well 
kn(5wn to two great nations while yet it was a howling 
wilderness, and had obtained world-wide renown before 
any one had yet dreamed of the village of Schuylerville. 
Its place in history is due mainly to its location. Here, 
in military language, was one of the few strategic points 
in the great Hudson valley. Whoever held these points 
held the whole valley, and whoever held this valley could 
hold the continent. 

How is that? you may ask. Well, take a good map. 
of New York State and you will notice that an extraor- 
dinary depression or valley extends from the river St. 
Lawrence, in Canada, directly south to New York bay. 
This valley is the result of some mighty convulsion in na- 
ture, which rent the mountains asunder, leaving this 
chasm between the ranges, to be further hollowed out 
and smoothed down by the action of those giant rivers of 



xxii Introduction 

ice, the glaciers. The highest point of the divide, or 
watershed, in this depression is between Fort Edward 
and Fort Ann, and this is only 147 feet above sea level. 
This elevation is remarkably slight in a distance of 350 
miles, especially when one considers the mountain ranges 
between which the valley runs. With the exception of some 
twenty miles this whole distance between New York and 
Montreal was navigable for small craft before the dams 
were built in the Hudson. 

Besides this valley running north and south, another 
depression, starting from Schenectady, stretches west- 
ward and cleaves the great Appalachian mountain range 
in twain, forming an open gateway toward the setting 
sun. Through this runs the Mohawk. 

Scan your map of North America closely from the 
Gulf of St. Lawrence to Florida and you will learn to 
your surprise, mayhap, that from the Gulf of St. Law- 
rence to the Gulf of Mexico there is no other wide-open 
portal except the Mohawk, to the west, through those 
mighty barriers which the great Appalachian range has 
thrown across the pathway to the imperial domain of the 
Mississippi valley. Thus, if you have a military eye, you 
can readily see that, before the days of railroads, who- 
ever held the Hudson valley held the key to the continent 
from the east. 

Turn to your map of New York State again and .you 
will notice that the country where dwelt the Iroquois is 
drained by the St. Lawrence through the Black, the 
Seneca and the Genesee rivers; by New York bay 
through the Mohawk and Hudson rivers ; by Delaware 
bay through the Delaware river ; by Chesapeake bay 
through the Susquehanna river, and by the Gulf of 
Mexico through the Allegheny and Ohio rivers. 



Introduction xxiii 

Those old "Romans of the West," the Five Nations or 
Iroquois, somehow discovered the strategic value of their 
position and took advantage of it. Having formed a 
civil confederacy, and then uniting their military forces, 
they became a menace and a terror to all their neighbors. 
The trails leading up and down these various rivers they 
transformed into warpaths. Ere long their fierce war- 
whoop was heard westward to the Mississippi, north- 
ward to the Saguenay, and south to the great gulf, and 
from every whither they returned as conquerors, proudly 
bringing with them those spoils so dear to the savage 
heart, scalps and captives. These conquests were com- 
pleted by the year 171 5 when they brought back the Tus- 
caroras from the Carolinas, and admitted them into their 
confederacy. After that they were called the Six 
Nations. 

The Adirondack region, including the Champlain and 
Hudson valleys, as far south as the old district of Sara- 
toga extended, was reckoned specially desirable as a pos- 
session, and had ever been disputed territory between the 
Algonquins of the north and the Iroquois. Long before 
the white man set eyes on this region it was- known to the 
red man as "the dark and bloody ground." Against all 
opponents, the indomitable courage and persistency of the 
fierce Iroquois had quite won the day when the white man 
appeared on the scene as a new contestant for the valu- 
able prize. When he entered the field, he was destined 
to add some still darker chapters to its already bloody 
history. 



BOOK I 
MILITARY HISTORY 

CHAPTER I 

Discovery of this Valley 

Our first introduction to these natural pathways lead- 
ing northward and westward is connected with the meet- 
ing of a party of whites and Indians drifting south from 
Canada on discovery intent, and a party of painted Iro- 
quois hastening north, on war and pillage bent. The 
leader of the party from the north was Samuel de Cham- 
plain, the founder of Quebec, and the first French Gov- 
ernor of Canada. The Algonquins had told him of a 
wonderful inland sea that stretched far southward into 
the land of the terrible Iroquois. He became curious 
to see it, and so in the spring of 1609, with two white 
companions and 60 native warriors with their canoes, he 
started on the eventful voyage. They reached the lake 
in July and paddled south leisurely, till they arrived in the 
vicinity of Crown Point, as is supposed, where in the 
night they met the party of two hundred Iroquois painted 
and plumed for war. Of course, there was trouble in the 
wind at once. By mutual consent they postponed the 
fight till daylight, when the apparition of three strangely- 
dressed men with white faces, a thing never before 
dreamed of by them, together with the thunder of their 
arquebuses and the terrible execution they wrought, 
quickly decided the day, and the Iroquois fled precipi- 
tately, not pleased with their first taste of the white man. 



2 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Champlain came no farther, but the beautiful lake which 
he had discovered and described, fittingly bears his hon- 
ored name. 

Six weeks after this event, by a strange coincidence, 
Hendrick Hudson, an Englishman, commanding a Dutch 
ship, sailed into the splendid harbor now known as New 
York bay, and laying his course due north entered what 
he fondly hoped would prove to be the much looked for 
passage to the East Indies, but which turned out to be 
only a river, yet a river far more beautiful than any his 
eyes had ever beheld. Wishing to learn the character 
and size of his great find, he worked his way as far north 
as Troy or Cohoes. Then he returned to report his dis- 
covery. He, too, was honored by having his name af- 
fixed to the southern portion of this marvellous valley and 
its noble river. Five years thereafter a trading post was 
established 150 miles north of New York bay, and which 
for fifty years bore the name of Fort Orange, after the 
noble house whose sons had successfully led the Nether- 
lands in their eighty years fight for liberty against Spain. 
But a 100 miles of this valley from Troy to Crown Point 
was as yet terra incognita to the white man, and remained 
so for one-third of a century. 

During all this time the Iroquois of Central 
New York had refrained from war against the 
north; but they by no means forgot their humil- 
iating defeat at the hands of the white men who were 
the allies of their ancient foes in Canada. For thirty- 
three years they had nursed their wrath and drilled them- 
selves in warfare with other tribes, to the west and south, 
when in the spring of 1642, after themselves becoming 
possessed of fire-arms and practiced in their use, they de- 
cided that the time had come to blot out their disgrace in 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 3 

the blood of the Algonquins and French. And had it not 
been for the timely arrival of some French troops the 
Canadian settlements would have been utterly exter- 
minated. 

Among their captives was a rioble Jesuit priest, 
Father Isaac Jogues, who in company with several helpers 
and converts were returning, with their canoes loaded 
with supplies, to a mission already established among the 
Hurons in the distant west. He, with two assistants, 
Couture and Goupil, and a number of Hurons, were hor- 
ribly tortured ; then they were bound and headed south 
for the Mohawk country. It was about the ist of Sep- 
tember when they arrived at that bold promontory jutting 
out into Lake Champlain, since become famous as Ticon- 
deroga. Rounding this they turned west where soon 
they were stopped by the churning rapids and chiming 
falls of a goodly stream, the outlet of another lake. 
Here the Indians landed, shouldered their canoes, fol- 
lowed up the stream, and soon with their captives 
launched forth upon the crystal waters of Andiatarocte. 
Here, for the first time since the dawn of creation, eyes, 
that could appreciate, looked upon the rare beauty of that 
"fair Naiad of the ancient wilderness," Lac St. Sacra- 
ment, as it was christened two years^ later b}^ Father 
Jogues. 

These savage warriors, with their hapless victims, 
duly landed where now stands that handsome hos- 
telry, Fort William Henry Hotel, and straightway 
plunged into the dusky woods and followed the ancient 
war trail. This trail led from Lake George to the bend 
in the Hudson a few miles west of Glens Falls, thence 
southwestward till it struck the Mohawk in the vicinity 
of Amsterdam. Arrived at their castles, the captives 



4 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

were again ferociously tortured for the entertainment of 
savage women and children. Finall}^ Goupil was mur- 
dered, Couture having struck the fancy of the Indians 
by some act of bravery, was adopted into the tribe; 
Father Jogues lived for months in daily expectation of 
being murdered. He was given to an old Indian as a 
slave and performed for him the most menial tasks. In 
the following March he accompanied his master on his 
spring fishing trip. They repaired to a lake four days 
distant. On reasonable grounds this is supposed to have 
been Lake Saratoga. If so he was the first white man 
who ever gazed upon the placid surface of that beautiful 
sheet of water. 

About the ist of August, 1643, he accompanied a party 
of Indians on a fishing trip down the Hudson some twen- 
ty miles below Albany. Before the main body were 
ready to leave he secured permission to return with a 
few Indians who were going up the river in a canoe. 
At Albany he was very kindly treated by the Dutch who 
urged him to escape. They had previously made a fruit- 
less attempt to ransom him. Finally he concluded U) 
make the attempt, slipped away from his custodians, and 
secreted himself. But the Indians made su h an ado 
about it, that to pacify them Megapolensis, the good 
Dutch Dominie, and Arendt Van Curler, the subsequent 
founder of Schenectady, collected enough goods to ran- 
som him. The Albany Dutchmen then gave him free 
passage to France. At New York Gov. Kieft exchanged 
his squalid and savage dress for a good suit of Dutch 
cloth and placed him aboard a small vessel bound for his 
home. On his arrival there he was received as one risen 
from the dead, for they had heard of his capture. He 
at once became an object of curiosity and reverence. He 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 5 

was summoned to court and Queen Anne of Austria 
kissed his mutilated hands. 

Soon he returned to Canada. In 1646 he was ordered 
by his superior to go to the Mohawk country on an em- 
bassage of peace for the government. He with Sieur 
Bourdon, an engineer, and two Algonquin Indians 
started the middle of May, laden with rich gifts to con- 
firm the peace. They reached Lake George on the eve 
of Corpus Christi. From this fact he named it Lac St. 
Sacrament, a name which was retained for more than a 
hundred years. From Lake George they took the trail 
to the Hudson, where, being greatly fatigued from their 
load of gifts, they borrowed some canoes from an Iro- 
quois fishing party and descended the Hudson, passing 
Old Saratoga to Fort Orange. Here the Dutchmen, to 
whose sacrifices he owed his life, heartily welcomed and 
entertained him. After a few days he left them for the 
Mohawk council where he was received with grudging 
courtesy. 

His mission having ended successfully, he started 
for home, but with the determination to return 
and found a mission among the Mohawks. With this 
purpose in mind he left behind a small chest containing 
a few trinkets and necessaries. But the Indians were 
persuaded that it harbored some malignant spirits that 
would work mischief among them. Sure enough there 
was sickness in the village that summer, and the cater- 
pillars ate their corn. This was of course all laid to the 
evil spirits left in that box. Hence, when Father Jogues 
returned, there was a case against him. He was foully 
murdered on the i8th of October, 1646. "Thus," as 
Parkman says, "died Isaac Jogues, one of the purest ex- 
amples of Roman Catholic virtue which this Western 



6 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

continent has seen." ^ (The shrine at Auriesville is 
erected on the traditional site of his martyrdom.) 

Thus, when Father Jogues reached Albany in 1646 the 
whole of the Champlain-Hudson valley had been trav- 
ersed by the white man. It is also interesting to note 
that he and Sieur Bourdon were the first to see the site 
of Schuylerville. 

The reader will recall the fact that New York i.nd Al- 
bany had been occupied as trading posts since 1614, and 
had been permanently settled or colonized since 1623. 



CHAPTER II 
Saratoga — Significance of the Name 

The name Saratoga passed through many vicissitudes 
at the hands of public officials before the spelling became 
settled. Note the variety of spelling as it appears in the 
Documentary History of New York: Cheragtoge, Sara- 
chtitoge, Sarachtoga, Saractoga, Saraghtoga, Saragtoga, 
Saratoge, Saraktoga, Sarastague, Sarastaugue, Schor- 
achtoge, Sarasteau, Saraston, Saratogo, Sarrantau. 
Serachtague, Seraghtoga, Soraghtoga, Saratoga. Thus 
the modern spelling of this name affords a good example 
of the survival of the fittest in orthography. 

To most people outside the boundaries of this county, 
the name Saratoga is coupled only with the great water- 
ing place twelve miles west of the Hudson whose me- 
dicinal waters gush forth "for the healing of the nations." 
Whereas its adoption there, was a long after-thought. 



^ See Parknian's Jesuits in North America. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 7 

Indeed, the name as applied to a river district was known 
to white men for a hundred years before the springs 
were discovered. 

Saratoga is an Indian word. The red men appHed it 
to one of their favorite hunting and fishing grounds lo- 
cated on either side of the Hudson river, extending from 
three to five miles back from the stream, and an indefinite 
distance both north and south of Fishcreek, which 
empties into the river at Schuylerville. The colonists 
adopted this name and applied it as the Indians did to a 
district covering both sides of the Hudson and extending 
from the mouth of the Mohawk, north to the vicinity of 
Fort Miller. Afterward it began at Mechanicville in- 
stead of Cohoes. But when they began to build forts at 
the north to protect their frontier settlements, the one 
placed at the junction of Fish creek with the Hudson 
was then called the fort at Saratoga. 

As to the significance of the name several traditions are 
extant. One is, that it means, "the hillside country of the 
great river;" another says it means "place of the swift 
water," in allusion to the rapids just above Schuylerville 
which disturb the quietness of the river's flow. A Can- 
adian Indian told the historian Hough that Sar-a-ta-ke 
means "place where the track of the heel shows," refer- 
ring to depressions like heel prints which he claimed 
could be seen in some rocks in this vicinity. Mr. J. L. 
Weed of Ballston, N. Y., told the writer that an old uncle 
of his, Joseph Brown, an early settler, who had native 
Indians for neighbors on Saratoga lake, used to say that 
the word means "place of herrings," suggested by the 
vast number of those fish which they used to catch in the 
river and creeks hereabouts. To the writer this seems 
the most satisfactorv for the reason that both the Dutch 



8 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

and English gave the analogous name Fishkill 
or Fishcreek to the outlet of Saratoga lake be- 
cause of the myriads of herrings which used to 
swarm up through it in the spring of the year 
into that lake; and secondly, because of the exten- 
sive fish weirs which the Indians constructed at the out- 
let of the lake for catching herring.^ This same Joseph 
Brown used to relate an Indian legend in this connection. 
These fishing grounds and especially the weirs at the 
lake were accounted a valuable possession by the Indians 
far and near, and were often the occasion of wars and 
bloody encounters. Once a small party of Iroquois In- 
dians were catching and curing herring there, when they 
were apprised of the approach of a powerful body of Al- 
gonquins from the north. They decamped at once, but 
a decrepit old chief refused to go because he would hin- 
der their flight, and might thus prove their destruction. 
He could serve them better by staying where he was. 
They reluctantly yielded to his wishes and left him to his 
fate. Soon the intruders appeared on the scene and ques- 
tioned the old man as to the whereabouts of his people, 
but he gave evasive answers, whereupon they put him to 
the torture which soon quenched the little spark of his re- 
maining life; but without evoking the desired informa- 
tion.^ 



- Remains of those old Indian weirs were visible within the memory of 
some of the older inhabitants. 

3 This same stoiy greatly elaborated and highly colored in true Indian 
style is told in Stone's Reminiscences of Saratoga. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



CHAPTER III 

The old Indian trails — First expedition from Can- 
ada INTO THE Mohawk Country under Courcelle 
and De Tracy 

As has already been intimated, Schu3derville, or rather 
old Saratoga, owes its historic importance to its geo- 
graphical location. In colonial days it was regarded by 
military men as an important strategic position. From 
this point important lateral trails diverged from the main 
one, which ran like a great trunk line up and down the 
Hudson valley. These lateral trails started here because 
at this point two large streams empty into the Hudson; 
the Battenkill (or Di-an-on-de-howa, in Indian) from the 
east, and the Fishcreek from the west. The one afforded 
easy access to the Connecticut valley, while the other of- 
fered ready passage from the north and east over into 
the valley of the Mohawk. In short, here w^as a sort of 
Indian "four corners." 

Two trails led from the north or Champlain valley into 
the Mohawk valley. One started at Ticonderoga, passed 
through Lake George, thence across country, passing the 
Hudson not far west from Glens Falls, thence through 
the towns of Moreau and Wilton turning west through 
the pass south of Mt. McGregor at Stile's Tavern, over 
near Lake Desolation, southwest through Galway, thence 
into the Mohawk valley a little west of Amsterdam. This 
was called the Kayadrosseras trail.* The other started at 
Whitehall, thence to Fort Edward and down the 
Hudson to Schuylerville, up the Fishcreek to 



* Sylvester's Hist, of Saratoga County. Edition of 1878, p. 32. 



lo THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Saratoga lake, thence up the Kayadrosseras river 
to the Mourningkill, thence over a carry into Ball- 
ston lake, over another carry into Eel creek, and 
down this into the Mohawk river. This was called the 
Saratoga trail. If on their expeditions to the north the 
Mohawk Indians chose to build their canoes at home 
before starting, they came down the Saratoga trail be- 
cause it was a waterway. If they decided to build their 
canoes at the head of the lake, then they took the Kay- 
adrosseras trail overland, for it was shorter. 

These trails were already ancient and warworn before 
the white man appeared on the scene. He promptly ap- 
propriated them to his own use for purposes not only of 
warfare but of commerce. 

Courcelle's Expedition against the Iroquois 

This region was frequently seen and trav;::rsed by the 
white man years before the name Saratoga appeared in 
printer's ink, or official correspondence. For years prior 
to 1666, bands from the Five Nations, or Iroquois, had 
harrassed the French settlements in Canada, at Montreal, 
Three Rivers and Quebec, murdering and carrying the 
settlers into captivity. Finally a full regiment of French 
soldiers was sent to their defence. The French governor, 
Samuel de Remi Sieur de Courcelle, impatient of delay 
after they came, started out with a force of 600 men and 
a number of Algonquin Indians as guides to wreak ven- 
geance on the hated savages. Equipped with snow shoes 
and with provisions loaded on toboggans, drawn by mas- 
tiff dogs, they started from Quebec on October 29, 1665. 
They slowly and laboriously made their way south over 
frozen lakes and the Avilderness of snow till they arrived 
at the Hudson about Februarv ist, 1666. Their Indian 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA n 

guides failing them on account of too much "fire-water," 
they missed the Kayadrosseras trail, their intended route, 
and took the Saratoga trail instead. This brought them 
down to the mouth of the Fishcreek at Schuylerville, up 
which they went to Saratoga lake and so on. The 9th 
of February they discovered to their chagrin that instead 
of being near the Mohawk castles, or palisaded forts, 
they were within two miles of the Dutch trading post at 
Schenectady. Here they fell into an ambush set by the 
Mohawk Indians and lost eleven men. The Indians fled 
and gave the alarm. Nearly exhausted from cold and 
exposure, but receiving some timely succor from the 
Dutch, they abandoned the enterprise, and hastily re- 
treated by the way they came, down through Old Sara- 
toga and up the Hudson and Lake Champlain.^ That 
trip of some 700 miles over a frozen desert, void of hu- 
man habitation, in the teeth of howling blizzards and bit- 
ing cold, was an achievement never excelled before that 
day. 

De Tracy's Expedition 

Stung to madness by the murder, that summer, of Sieur 
Chaz}'^, a favorite captain in the regiment, at the hands 
of these same Iroquois, a new expedition was organized. 
In October of the same year, 1666, under the efficient 
leadership of the Marquis de Tracy, a force of 1,300 men 
and two cannons started on their mission of vengeance. 
They came with boats instead of toboggans and snow 
shoes, and as their flotilla of some 250 canoes and bateaux 
swept over the crystal waters of Lac St. Sacrament, 
(Lake George) it formed the first of those splendid 

5 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. III., pp. iiS, 126. 



12 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

military pageants which were destined to render forever 
famous that pellucid gem of the old wilderness. This 
force took the Kayadrosseras trail and plunged boldly 
into the woods, reaching the Mohawk in due time, where 
they succeeded in utterly destroying the strongholds of 
the Indians and laying waste their fields, yet capturing 
and killing but few of their wily foes. Then with a vast 
deal of flourish and gusto, de Tracy caused a cross to be 
erected, the arms of France elevated on a pole, and a high 
sounding proclamation read, declaring all this territory 
to belong to His Majesty, the King of France, by the 
right of conquest. Then they went home by the way they 
came without the loss of a man.® 

Descent of the Iroquois upon Canada 

After de Tracy's punishment of the Mohawks they 
kept shy of the Canadians for more than twenty years. 
The peace then conquered would have doubtless contin- 
ued indefinitely had not Canada been most unfortunate 
in one of her governors. Denonville, greedy for trade 
and the extension of the French dominions, tried to woo 
the Iroquois from their English allegiance. Failing in 
this he trespassed on their territories, attacked some of 
the villages of the Senecas, and killed and captured a 
number of their people. This roused the slumbering 
hate of the whole Confederacy, and war to the death 
was declared. 

Their forces having assembled, they paddled down the 
Mohawk river in their bark canoes, passed the little fron- 
tier village of Schenectady, and landed at Eel place creek 
about the ist of August, 1689. They had decided upon 



^ Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IX., pp. 56, 79. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 13 

the Saratoga trail. A flotilla of about 250 canoes filled 
with 1,300 plumed and painted warriors, the fiercest in 
the new world, must have been a stirring sight as they 
debouched from the Kayadrosseras and floated out upon 
the tranquil bosom of Saratoga lake. It was a fit fore- 
runner of the showy regattas seen on the same waters 
200 years later.'^ And again when they struck into Fish- 
creek, lined with tamaracks, and embowered with birches 
and maples and oaks, festooned with the wild grape 
and clematis vines, could we have stood that day, say at 
Stafford's Bridge, behind some bushy screen, we would 
have witnessed a splendid pageant of over a mile in 
length. They swept down the crooked and tortuous Fish- 
creek to where Victory is now located, whence they car- 
ried their canoes down the south side to the Hudson, and 
then lustily paddled north on their bloody mission. Their 
descent upon the settlements about Montreal was as a 
thunderbolt out of a clear sky, so unlooked for was it. 
This was the most dreadful blow sustained, the most ter- 
rible event recorded in Canadian history. Their build- 
ings were burned, their garnered harvests destroyed, be- 
tween three and four hundred French settlers and sol- 
diers^ were butchered, and 130 were brought back to be 
tortured for the entertainment of those left at home, or 
to supply their savage feasts with unusual and dainty 
meats. The Indians returned, most of them, as they had 
gone, by the Saratoga trail. The ancient forest then 
standing here, echoed that day to the sighs of those hap- 
less captives, and the soil of old Saratoga was moistened 
with their tears, as they toiled up the carry from the river 
to the smooth water of Fishcreek above Victorv. That 



^ Sylvester's Saratoga Cotinty Hist., p. 34. 

^Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IX., pp. 431, 434- 



14 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

was one procession at Schuylerville none of us, I fancy, 
would care to have beheld, unless prepared to rescue the 
unfortunate victims. 



CHAPTER IV 

Destruction of Schenectady and Retaliation 

During the year of the above described foray, 1689, 
war was declared between France and England, which, 
of course, could not but involve their colonies. This war 
grew out of the English Revolution of 1688, which de- 
throned James II of England and enthroned, in his place, 
William and Mary of Holland. 

Count de Frontenac was sent over by the French in 
October, 1689, to displace the impolitic Denonville. He 
resolved to be the first to strike a blow in that war on this 
side the water, and accordingly, fitted out three expedi- 
tions. One from Quebec against Maine, the second from 
Three Rivers against New Hampshire and the third from 
Montreal against Albany. 

The force designed for Albany numbered 210 men, 
ninety-six of which were Indians under the command of 
two Canadian officers, Sieur la Moyne de St. Helene and 
Lieut. Daillebout de Mantet. Forgetful of the experi- 
ence of de Courcelle, twenty-three years before, they, like 
him, start out in the dead of winter. Having reached the 
head of Lake Champlain, near Ticonderoga, they halted 
and held a council. The Indians demanded to 
know whither they were bound. De St. Helene 
replied that he wished to surprise and take Fort 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 15 

Orange (Albany). The Indians, remembering the 
defeats which the French had lately sustained, 
strongly objected and said: "Since when have the 
French become so brave?" Still undecided they 
continued their march for eight days, toward Albany, till 
they came to the parting of the ways here at Old Sara- 
toga,® (Schuylerville). On their own motion the In- 
dians left the Hudson here, turned to the right, and took 
the trail leading toward Schenectady, and the French 
followed after without serious protest. A thaw had set 
in and they waded knee deep through the snow and slush. 
It must have been dreadfully exhausting work, for it 
took them nine days to make the trip from Schuylerville 
to Schenectady, a distance of thirty-seven miles by the 
route they took. But just before they reached their goal 
one of those sudden and extreme changes occurred, so 
common to our winters in this latitude. A blizzard came 
howling down from the north-west, which chilled them 
to the marrow. The snow fell knee deep. They had in- 
tended to defer the attack till about two o'clock a. m., 
but they were forced to proceed at once or perish from the 
cold. They afterward said, had they been attacked at that 
time, or had they met with resistance when they at- 
tacked, they would have been forced to surrender, so 
benumbed were they by the cold. There was no need, 
however, for delay on their part, for they could not have 
imagined better arrangements for their reception than 
they found. 

The Revolution in England naturally created two par- 
ties ; those who sided with and those who sided against 
the dethroned King James. These parties were dupli- 
cated in the colonies. There were many here who were 



» Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IX., p. 466. 



i6 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

intensely loyal to James, as well as many who were eager 
to swear allegiance to William and Mary. Of course, 
this caused trouble and divisions throughout the realm. 
Party strife fanned into a flame by the acts of the usurp- 
ing governor Leisler, had become so fierce in Schenectady 
that neither faction would do a thing for the town's pro- 
tection, though they well knew that war existed between 
France and England, and they were liable to an attack 
from the north. The two gates of the little town front- 
ing east and west were left wide open and a dummy 
sentinel made of snow, in mockery of the few troops 
quartered within the town, stood guard before the 
western portal. 

Everybody, even the soldiers, were sleeping in fan- 
cied security. A body of Mohawk Indians had been en- 
gaged by the Albany authorities to scout to the north, but 
the love of the fireside proved more alluring than the 
charms of fire-water and Dutch gold, and so they had 
lingered at Schenectady. 

Guided by some captured squaws, the Canadians crossed 
the Mohawk on the ice and appeared before the western 
gate. Silently, as if shod with wool, they glided in and 
posted themselves next the palisades that surrounded the 
village. Then the hideous warwhoop was raised, and be- 
fore the stupefied inhabitants could realize what it all 
meant, the work of destruction and butchery was under 
way. For two hours hell was let loose in Schenectady 
while Satan and his imps held high carnival. It Avould 
be useless to attempt a description of the horrors crowded 
into that brief space. Suffice it to say that at the end of 
it sixty men, women and children lay stark in death, hor- 
ribly mutilated, or roasting in the flames of their former 
homes. Between eightv and ninetv were reserved as 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 17 

prisoners while a few escaped in their night robes, and 
with bare feet, carried the dreadful tale to Albany, sev- 
enteen miles away. 

After refreshing themselves a little, the victors started 
on their retreat, the following morning. Leaving behind 
the old men, the women and children, and retaining twen- 
ty-seven of the younger men and boys as prisoners, they 
hastened away, taking the Kayadrosseras trail toward 
Canada. But they were not allowed to return unmo- 
lested. They were chased to Lake Champlain and eigh- 
teen of their number killed or captured by a band of Mo- 
hawk Indians. ^° 

WiNTHROp's Expedition 

The fight was now on in dead earnest; for the colonists 
could not allow so cruel a deed to go unavenged. 

The authorities at Albany on the 26th of March, 1690, 
ordered Capt. Jacob de Warm to proceed to Crown Point 
with a party of twelve English and twenty Indians to 
watch the motions of the enemy. On the 30th, Capt 
Abram Schuyler was sent to Otter Creek, Vt., which was 
the usual starting point for forays into. Massachusetts, 
with nine men and a party of Indians to do like service 
at that point. 

Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, New York and 
Maryland resolved upon an invasion of Canada. Each 
agreed to furnish its quota of troops. Fitz John Win- 
throp of Connecticut was commissioned major-general to 
lead the expedition. The troops from Massachusetts and 
Plymouth did not materialize. Winthrop brought 135 
of those promised by Connecticut, Maryland sent fifty, 

^0 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IX., p. 466. 
2 



i8 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Nev/ York furnished 150 men besides 180 Indians. 515 
men was not a very formidable array to be led by a major- 
general. 

On the 30th of July, 1690, the Yankees with the 
Dutch troops collected at Albany and from down the 
Hudson set out from Albany and camped the first night 
at the Flatts, the old Schuyler homestead. August ist 
they marched to the Stillwater, "soe named," says Win- 
throp, "for that the water passeth soe slowly as not to 
be discerned." 

"August 2d," continues the journal of Winthrop, "we 
martched forwards and quartered this night at a place 
called Saratogo, about 50 English miles from Albany, 
where is a blockhouse and some of the Dutch soldiers. "^^ 
This blockhouse had been built by orders of the Council 
to protect the house of Bartel Vrooman and six others 
who had settled here a year or two previously. The 
site of this blockhouse is a matter of conjecture. Cer- 
tainly it was on the west side of the river for the army 
marched on that side. It was as certainly on the south 
side of Fishcreek, for the first settlement was made there, 
and the creek would be one of its defences against the 
north. It probably stood on the ground afterward oc- 
cupied by Forts Saratoga and Clinton. 

Thus, in this, the first of many expeditions against Can- 
ada, Saratoga (Schuylerville) looms up as an important 
point. Here Winthrop established his depot of supplies, 
for on August 7th he says "I sent 30 horse under the 
command of Ensigne Thomlinson to Saratogo for more 
provition." 

The little army got no nearer Canada than Whitehall, 
through lack of canoes and provision, and because of 



^1 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IV., pp. 194, 195. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 19 

sickness among the troops. This according to Winthrop. 
But Capt. Johannes Schuyler of Albany, only twenty- 
three years old, commanding those Dutch troops that 
Winthrop was moved to praise so highly because of their 
superior efficiency, was clearly dissatisfied that the ex- 
pedition should be abandoned without an attempt to strike 
a blow. And this not alone because of its depressing ef- 
fect upon the colonists, but he was especially fearful of 
the effect of failure upon the Indians who were just then 
wavering in their allegiance between the French who 
were so belligerent and the English who showed so little 
fight. He therefore resolved that as for his single self 
he would not return to Albany without an effort to bring 
back something to show for all the trouble. He applied 
to Gen. Winthrop for permission to go forwards. Win- 
throp cheerfully granted it and commissioned him cap- 
tain for the venture.^^ 

At once he beat up for volunteers ; forty whites and 100 
Indians responded. Loading their canoes with sufficient 
provision, they cut loose for the north. They surprised 
La Prarie, south of Montreal, killed a number of the in- 
habitants, took many prisoners, did great damage to 
property and returned with but little loss to themselves. 
This was the first armed force that ever penetrated Can- 
ada from the English colonies. They reached Albany 
on the 31st of August, only eleven days after Winthrop 
and his hundreds had sheepishly crept back. This Jo- 
hannes Schuyler was the grand-father of General Phillip 
Schuyler. 



12 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol IV., p. 196. 



2 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Expedition of 1691 

The success of Johannes Schuyler's raid seemed to 
whet the appetite of the Albany Dutchmen, and also of 
the Indians, for more experience of like flavor. Hence on 
June 21, 1 69 1, another expedition started from Albany, 
this time led by Mayor Pieter Schuyler, brother of Jo- 
hannes, the hero of the campaign of '90. They started 
with 120 whites, and sixty river Indians (Catskills and 
Schagticokes). The first night they camped at Still- 
water. ''On the 24th," says Schuyler's Journal, 'Sve 
marched to Saraghtoga, 16 miles distant, and camped 
about 2 of the clock afternoone." 

''June 26th. We continued at Saraghtoga ; foul 
weather, where we were joined by 15 Mohawks com- 
manded by one Schayavanhoendere." These Mohawks 
came over by the Saratoga trail from Schenectady and 
were from a party of ninety-five or more, which later 
joined the expedition at Ticonderoga. 

Pieter Schuyler^^ followed the tracks of his brother of 
the year before, fought and won two battles in one day, 
August 1st; killed many of the enemy, paralyzed the 
plans of Frontenac for that year, and returned with a 
goodly number of prisoners and much glory, and what 
was of much more consequence at that time, they had 
won for their fighting qualities the high esteem and firm 
allegiance of the Iroquois. The French account of these 
actions declares that Schuyler's party was practically an- 
nihilated. Schuyler reports thirty-seven of his men cap- 
tured and killed, and twenty-five wounded, out of a force 
of 260." 



^^ This Peter Schiiyler was the first Mayor of Albany, and gained un- 
bounded influence over the Indians, by whom he was called Quider, pro- 
nounced Keeder, which was as near as they could speak the name Peter. 

^* Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. III., pp. 781-795,800. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 21 

The French admitted in their report to the home gov- 
ernment, that these battles were the "most obstinate ever 
fought in Canada," and that after the battle in the woods 
they could not pursue, the "men able to march being sent 
to the fort for assistance to carry off the wounded." 

John Nelson, an English gentleman taken prisoner by 
the French, arrived at Quebec about the time when the 
news of Schuyler's expedition was received. In his 
memorial to the English government on the state of the 
colonies, he says : "In an action performed by one Skyler 
of Albanie, whilst I arrived at Quebec in the year 1691, 
when he made one of the most vigorous and glorious at- 
tempts that hath been known in these parts, with great 
slaughter on the enemie's part, and losse on his own, in 
which if he had not been discovered by an accident, it is 
very probable he had become master of Monreall. I 
have heard the thing reported so much in his honor by the 
French, that had the like been done by any of theire na- 
tion, he could never missed of an acknowledgement and 
reward from the court, tho I do not hear of anything 
amongst us hath been done for him."^'' 

There is nothing in the records to indicate that the 
home government ever took any notice of these most 
heroic deeds performed by the Schuylers at a very critical 
juncture in our colonial history. It is acknowledged by 
all who are familiar with the situation in 1 690-1 that 
those two successes preserved the friendship of the Iro- 
quois, and their friendship at that time was absolutely 
essential to England's hold on New York, and New York 
was the key to the situation. Bancroft styles Pieter 
Schuyler "the Washington of his times." 



1° Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IV., p. 209. 



2 2 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The French get even with the Mohawks 

For the next year and a half the Iroquois, especially 
the Mohawks, so harrassed the Canadian settlers that 
Count de Frontenac determined to exterminate them 
utterly. Collecting a force of 625 French and Indians 
he started for them in January, 1693. The party en- 
dured the usual hardships, but no cold could chill their 
ardor, nor blizzard beat them back, so determined were 
they upon vengeance. They took the Kayadrosseras 
trail from Lake George, reached the Mohawk valley and 
took the Indians wholly by surprise. They -stormed and 
destroyed all their towns save one, which was several 
miles back from the river, captured over 300 prisoners, 
had a grand jubilation and started back with their 
booty.^'^ But most of their prisoners escaped or were 
rescued before they reached Canada. 

Fortunately for New York, the peace of Ryswick in 
1697 put an end to King William's war. In fact, the 
war had proven especially costly to Albany county, com- 
prising as it then did all the northern settlements in the 
colony of New York. It is interesting at this day to 
read the comparative census of the years 1689 and 1698. 
In 1689 Albany county had only 2,016 white inhabitants. 
At the end of the war in 1698, 567 were missing. That left 
but 1,449 with which to begin the i8th century. The In- 
dians lost more than half their number. In 1689 they 
had 2,800 warriors, in 1698 only 1,320. It was about 
time for all concerned to bury the hatchet. 

^^ Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IX., pp. 649-656; 
also Vol. IV., pp. 173, 180. ^ 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 23 

CHAPTER V 

Queen Anne's War — First Settlement of Old Sara- 
toga — Nicholson's Expeditions against Canada. 

For the next ten or twelve years the old northern wil- 
derness had rest from war. During this time we find 
several notices of Old Saratoga in the records of the 
period. From Col. Romer's report/'^ in 1698, we learn 
that no less than seven families had settled here before 
King William's war in 1689. The name of one of these 
settlers, that of Bartel Vrooman, has come down to us. 
The report says, "the farms were ruined," that is the log 
houses were burned, and the settlers abandoned the lo- 
cality as a result of that war. It is probable that these 
first settlers had left the place for the winter of 1689-90 
else they would have been discovered and the fact of 
their capture would have appeared in the French report 
of the expedition against Schenectady in 1690. 

The next we hear of Saratoga as a military post is in 
the report of the governor, Lord Cornbury, dated Sep- 
tember 24, 1702. There among other recommendations 
he says : *T propose there should be a stockadoed fort at 
Saractoga, a place six and twenty miles above the Half 
Moon upon Hudson's River and is the farthest settlement 
zve have."^^ 

Again in his report of June 30, 1703, he is about to set 
to work on the fort, for he says : "There are but few fam- 
ilies there yet, and these will desert their habitations if 
they are not protected." 

Meanwhile war had again broken out between France 
and England, known in England as the war of the Span- 

^" Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IV., p. 441. 
^8 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IV., p. 969. 



24 THE STORY OP OLD SARATOGA 

ish succession. In this war the French and Indians 
seemed to wreak their vengeance specially on the New 
England settlements ; for example, Deerfield, Mass., was 
destroyed in 1704, and Haverhill in 1708. Why New 
York escaped was not known to the settlers at the time, 
but subsequently it was learned that the Iroquois and 
their Roman Catholic relatives in Canada had made a 
treaty not to molest each other's domain in that war. 

One Congreve reports, in 1704, most of the forts on 
the northern frontier to be out of order, among which 
was the fort of 1689 at old Saratoga.^^ 

The many outrages from Canada, at last impelled the 
colonists of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and 
New Jersey to unite for an invasion of Canada. A fleet 
was to attack Quebec while a formidable army of 1.500 
was to reduce Montreal. This force rendcsvoued at Al- 
bany and got under way the fore part of June, 1709. 
The main body had been preceded by a force of 300 
Dutchmen from Albany and vicinity under Col. Peter 
Schuyler. First this pioneer force built a stockade fort 
at Stillwater, which Schuyler called Fort Ingoldsby, 
after the governor; then they moved up to Saratoga and 
built a similar fort on the east side of the river, evidently 
to guard the ford which crossed just north of the island 
over which the bridge and highway to Greenwich now 
pass. 

The next was built at the Great Carrying place (Fort 
Edward), which he named Fort Nicholson, and the next 
at the forks of Wood creek, which he called at first 
Queens' Fort, but later Fort Anne in honor of the reign- 
ing English sovereign. 

Moreover Colonel Schuyler and his pioneers built the 

^^ Docviments relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. IV., p. 1128. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 25 

first military road in this country of which we have record. 
This road began here at Old Saratoga, at the ford no 
doubt, on the east side of the river and ran up that side 
of the stream to Fort Edward, thence to Wood creek. 
It had to be cut most of the way through the primeval 
forest. The road to Fort Edward has no doubt been 
practically the same ever since. 

This army was under the command of General Francis 
Nicholson, who. Governor Hunter declared, had never 
seen an army in the open field. -° This was the first time 
the red-coated British regular appeared on the scene and 
trod this old war-worn trail which was so soon to become 
familiar tramping-ground to him. 

Gen. Nicholson marched bravely up, garrisoned the 
several forts which had been built for him and then, like 
Micawber, sat down at Fort Anne and waited for some- 
thing to turn up. The first thing that turned up was a 
malignant disease in his camp by which he lost more men 
than if he had hastened forward and fought a disastrous 
battle with the French. The next thing that did not 
turn up was the British fleet, which had been promised 
to co-operate with him on the St. Lawrence. In the 
midst of such calamities what was there left for a brave 
man like him and his army to do but to turn their backs 
upon Canada and march down the hill again to Albany? 
Which thing they did. 

In 171 1 another campaign was organized for the con- 
quest of Canada. The plan was a duplicate of the pre- 
vious one. Only the force that marched up through Old 
Saratoga was about twice as formidable, numbering near- 
ly 3,000 regulars, colonists and Indians. This time they se- 
lected the Lake George route instead of the Fort Anne and 



-" Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. V., p. 451. 



26 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Whitehall, evidently because it was the healthier. This 
was wise, but the redoubtable Gen. Nicholson had no 
sooner reached Lake George than he heard that the fleet 
on which he depended for support had been scattered by 
the winds and wrecked. At once he threw up his hands 
in despair, burned forts Anne and Nicholson and marched 
back ing-loriously. Thus the third attempt at conquer- 
ing Canada failed, mainly through the inefficiency of its 
leaders. Had John, or Peter Schuyler been at the head 
of the expedition we feel sure that that army would have 
been heard from in Canada, but no New York Dutchman 
could hope for any worthy recognition from either Old 
or New England. The fort at Saratoga was thus left 
the unmost military post of the colony facing the ever 
frowning north. 

The treaty of Utrecht between France and England 
put the finale on Queen Anne's war. 

CHAPTER VI 

King George's War — The Building of the Forts 

In all the early histories of New York much is made 
of the sack and massacre of Schenectady in 1690, and 
that of Cherry valley in 1778, while little or nothing is 
said of the equally tragic fate of Old Saratoga in 1745. 
One cannot but wonder why that event should have re- 
ceived from the historians such scant courtesy. The 
only reasons for it that suggest themselves to the writer 
are first: That most of the people who made up the vil- 
lage at that time were doubtless illiterate. There were 
none of the survivors nor any of their friends possessed 
of sufficient literary ability, or interest in the event to 
write up a worthy account of the fate of this frontier vil- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 27 

lage. Apparently the only one present who could have 
done it, died bravely fighting for his honor and his home, 
and "dead men tell no tales." That was Capt. Philip 
Schuyler, uncle of the general. 

A second reason which suggests itself is the existence 
of fiercest political dissension between the people and 
their governors, which largely absorbed the thought and 
time of the thinkers. About the only detailed accounts 
that we possess of the massacre are found in the reports 
given by the French of their exploit. 

In order to the better appreciation of that event it will 
be well to glance at such of the fragments of history as 
have been preserved that relate to the planting and growth 
of the settlement at Old Saratoga. 

As we have seen, the first settlers were obliged to 
abandon the place at the time of King William's war in 
i6Sg-'gy. Just when these settlers ventured back the 
record saith not, but there were a few families here in 
1703 as we have already learned. 

During the long peace which followed Queen Anne's 
war the little settlement at Saratoga developed gradually 
under the fostering care of the enterprising Schuylers. 
The settlers by no means confined themselves to the west 
side of the river, but cleared for themsc*lves many a broad 
acre of those rich bottom lands on the east side. There 
too, substantial homes were reared, and no doubt one of 
the houses on that side was built in blockhouse style for 
their common defence, and called The Fort. Where it 
was located we know not. 

The French and the English of those days were very 
anxious to extend the sphere of their influence in the 
great American wilderness, just as they now are doing in 
Asia and Africa. The French looked with covetous eyes 



28 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

upon the colony of New York especially, for she had al- 
ready discovered that whoever held New York could 
have it all. Hence we are not surprised at seeing her 
attempt to move her frontiers as far south as the elastic 
treaty of Utrecht and the patience of the English would 
permit. In 1731 she determined to appropriate that nat- 
ural stronghold Crown Point to herself.-^ Brooking no 
delay, she began to fortify it, first by a stockade, then 
soon by a substantial stone work which she called Fort 
St. Frederic. This was a menace to both the New York 
and New England colonists, who viewed the move- 
ment with deepest apprehension and chagrin. As a 
counter move they should have fortified Ticonderoga, but 
political strife and jealousies between the several gov- 
ernors and their legislatures seemed to paralyze every 
effort looking toward the public safety and welfare. 

The building of this fort together with the constant 
efforts to win over the Six Nations and steal away the 
fur trade greatly exasperated the colonists. And when- 
ever the relations between France and England became 
especially strained the New Yorkers would think about 
their defenses toward the north. 

One of those crises occurred in 1721, when the author- 
ities decided to delay no longer in building a fort at Sara- 
toga for the defense of the northern frontier. This was 
erected in the months of September and October of that 
year under the superintendency of Philip Livingston. 

The bill of items presented by Livingston for the build- 
ing of this fort, with many receipts from the workmen, 
are still preserved in the archives at Albany. The docu- 
ment is a fine specimen of penmanship. The bill as ren- 
dered amounted to I53£ iis. 46.. Johannes Schuyler, 



-1 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. VIII., p. 343. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 29 

proprietor of the first sawmills erected here, furnished 
much of the material for the above fort.^^ 

Captain William Helling-^ was the first commandant of 
this fort ; whether he had any successors does not appear. 

Another crisis occurred in 1739. As a result of this 
one, Lieut.-Governor Clarke reporting to the Lords of 
Trade in London, says that he had persuaded the Assem- 
bly to make provisions for building several forts, among 
the rest, one at "Sarachtoga ;" but as no appropriation 
for this fort appears in the Act to which the governor 
refers, we are left in the dark as to when it was begun 
or finished ; but subsequent events make it evident that 
the fort was really built at that time. For example. 
Governor Clinton, reporting to the Lords of Trade June 5, 
1744, says, he is about to send "a party of troops to the 
fort at Saratoga for the defense of that place."^^ A few 
years later we see the Assembly squaring its accounts 
with a large number of individuals for work done in 
1745 in rebuilding this fort.-^ Since the old records say 
that the effective life of those wooden forts was only five 
to seven years, this "rebuilding" would indicate that there 
was a fort built here at least as early as 1739. The fort 
as rebuilt in the winter and spring of 1745 was square 
with a blockhouse on each corner. -® 

The long peace of thirty-one years was broken in 1744 
by France declaring war against England. In fact pretty 

22 N. Y. Colonial MSS. Vol. LXIV., pp. 39, 40. 

23 Ibid. p. 45. 

2* Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. VI., p. 255. 

25 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. VI., p. 648. 

2^ A block house was built of heavy logs, with the second story projecting 
over the first about two feet, and pierced for small arms and, some times, 
cannon. In a fort these block houses were connected by palisades of logs 
set in the ground and extending from lo to 12 feet above ground. A 
gallery was built inside the palisades and high enough from the ground to 
enable a sentinel to walk about and look over. 



30 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

much all Europe was involved in that war. It started 
with a quarrel between rival claimants to the Austrian 
throne. The chief competitors were the noted Maria 
Theresa, daughter of the late Emperor Charles VI., and 
Charles Albert, Elector of Bavaria. England sided with 
Maria Theresa while France took the part of Charles. 
It was called in Europe the War of the Austrian Succes- 
sion, but it is usually set down by Americans as King 
George's war. The representatives of the two belliger- 
ent nations on this continent cared precious little about 
who should sit on the Austrian throne, but they did care 
very much about who should hold the sceptre over the 
imperial domain of this continent, and for this they were 
ready to fight. 

In this war the English struck the first blow. Early 
in 1/45 3-1^ expedition was organized against Louisburg, 
a stronghold of the French on Cape Breton island. The 
French had spent some $5,000,000 and thirty years of 
labor on the fortifications there, and it was called by them 
the Gibraltar of America. Each of the New England 
colonies furnished its quota of troops, while New York 
appropriated 5,ooo£ in aid of the expedition. The cam- 
paign was entirely successful ; Louisburg fell and great 
was the rejoicing in both Old and New England. New 
England troops did about all the fighting, but the Old 
England officers and troops got all the rewards. 

The French forces at that time in Canada were not 
very numerous, but with such as they had they must 
avenge such a disaster as best they could. Where should 
they strike? Why, of course, where they could do the 
most harm with the forces they had, and that "where" 
lay through the open gateway of the Champlain and 
Hudson valleys. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 31 

CHAPTER VII 
Destruction of Saratoga 

The governor of Canada planned an expedition in the 
fall of that same year, 1745, with the design of striking 
the New England settlements along the Connecticut river. 

The force was put under the command of M. Marin. 
It consisted of 280 French and 229 Indians, in all 509. 
The chaplain was the Abbe Francois Picquet, who after- 
ward became famous as the founder of the Mission La 
Presentation at Ogdensburg, N. Y, 

They started from Montreal the 4th of November and 
arrived at Crown Point the 13th. 

In the council convened at Crown Point the Indians 
held, that it was too late in the season to go over the 
mountains into the Connecticut valley. Then, the Abbe 
Picquet, displaying a map of the Hudson, pointed out 
Saratoga among other places as worthy of capture. The 
map showed thirty-one houses and two forts, (one on 
each side of the river no doubt). After much expostu- 
lation and argument M. Marin concluded to yield to the 
wishes of the Indians, and so the doom of fair Saratoga 
was sealed. 

Embarking again they paddled south for a distance, 
then left their canoes and took up their march along the 
north shore of South Bay, thence over the Fort Anne 
Mountains heading for Fort Edward. They lost their 
way, however, and spent several days wandering about 
before they got out of the woods. At last on the morn- 
ing of the 27th of November they struck the Hudson 
near the house of John H. Lydius, a bold trader who had 
dared to establish himself so far away from his white 
neighbors. His was a large house built on the site of 



32 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

old Fort Nicholson, (Fort Edward). Here they captured 
a boy and hired man, Lydius and his family having 
retired to Albany for the winter. In a house near by, 
the Indians found three men ; all these together with two 
Schagticoke Indians, captured the day before, they 
pla-ced in the Lydius house under a guard of twenty men. 
Then the men, having received absolution from the priest, 
who remained behind, hastened on, taking the old mil- 
itary road built by Peter Schuyler in 1709. Marin went 
ahead down the river with a few men in canoes to find a 
suitable fording place. On the way, the Indians cap- 
tured six or seven men in a house near the road. They 
were sent to keep company with the other captives at 
L3^dius'. About four and a half miles from Saratoga 
the army met a man and his wife returning from Schuy- 
ler's Mills with some bags of flour. After some parley 
the man and woman were given to Atagaronche, a chief, 
while the French appropriated the flour and horses. As 
the woman started for Lydius' she said, in hopes of 
frightening them ofif: "You are going to Saratoga, but 
you will find 200 men in the fort waiting to give you a 
warm reception." This did not disturb them, for the two 
Schaghticokes, above mentioned, had told them that the 
fort was empty. 

The place selected for crossing was evidently a little 
below the State dam, at Northumberland, for it was 
south of Fort Miller where the man and woman were 
captured, and in describing the crossing the journal of 
the expedition says : "Happily we found ourselves near 
an island and a waterfall, whose sound mingled with the 
noise we made in crossing the river." The island men- 
tioned is doubtless the one just below the State dam, 
over which the electric road now passes. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 33 

It was about mid-night before they got across. Then 
says the journal : "The night was very cold, and had it 
not been for a little fire, which the bed of a creek shel- 
tered by two hillocks enabled us to make, some would 
have run the risk of freezing their feet, as we all had 
wet feet." The "creek" mentioned is evidently the little 
stream that crosses the highway perhaps twenty rods 
south of the residence of Mr. E. W. Towne, and about 
five rods south of where a road turns up the hill to the 
west. The "hillocks" are either the steep banks of the 
creek, or the steep wooded hill back of Mr. Towne's, 
and the bare hill back of Mr. D. A. Bullard's farm 
buildings. The first theory is doubtless preferable. 

While the main body was thus trying to thaw itself 
out and make itself comfortable, M. Beauvais was sent 
forward with a scout to make a reconnoissance of the 
doomed hamlet. 

A generation had passed since this ancient war-path 
had been pressed by hostile feet. Most of the inhabi- 
tants of this now sleeping village knew not what war 
and pillage meant except from hearsay. One need not 
stretch his imagination to form a pretty correct picture 
of Old Saratoga as it looked on the 27th of November, 

1745- 

Here were at least thirty dwellings with their usual 
outbuildings, barns, granaries, pens, etc. ; four mills, a 
blacksmith shop, perhaps a store of general merchandise, 
and the frowning fort, made up the material portion of 
this primitive hamlet. These buildings were all strung 
like beads on a single narrow, lane-like road running 
north and south for perhaps a half mile above and two 
miles below Fish creek. There was no bridge across the 
creek at that time. It was forded a few rods above the 



34 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



present canal aqueduct. The only brick house in the 
place was owned and occupied by Philip Schuyler, uncle 
of Gen. Philip Schuyler; this was located twenty rods 
directly east of the present mansion. This house was de- 
signed for defense, being pierced above and below for 
small arms. The original road ran east of that house. 
The fort stood a half mile below the creek on the flats. 
Most of the houses were about and below the fort. The 
fort, though much had been done on it, was still in bad 
repair, so much so that the troops claimed that they 
could not stay there with comfort or safety. Instead of 
there being 200 in the garrison a^s the woman told the 
Frenchmen, there had been only ten privates stationed 
there in charge of one Sergeant Convers, who in turn 
had gone over to Schenectady, leaving his corporal in 
command. Governor Clinton had left it optional with the 
Lieutenant of the company whether the men should 
remain or withdraw. Their stay was to depend 
on the treatment they should receive at the hands 
of the Indian Commissioners, who seemed to be 
the source of supplies and repairs. The little gar- 
rison withdrew only a short time before the attack, and 
reported at Albany. It is a wonder that the settlers did 
not follow them, as they must have known that they 
were liable to an attack at any time from the north. But 
thirty years of peace seems to have lulled their fears to 
sleep. 

The settlement had evidently enjoyed a prosperous sea- 
son. The barns, the granaries, and the cellars were full 
to repletion; many goodly stacks of hay and grain nes- 
tled close to the buildings. Herds of sleek cattle and 
plump sheep were feeding in their stalls ; great piles of 
lumber were awaiting shipment to the markets below, 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



35 



and the mills were grinding and sawing night and day, 
seemingly rushed with orders. "The evening meal had 
been eaten; the mother had sung her lullaby over the 
cradle; the fires were all 'raked up' on the hearthstone, 
and all had gone to rest," save a few men at the sawmill. 

"Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest 
not what a day may bring forth," is an oracle that was 
tragically, yes luridly, illustrated in the fate of Saratoga 
on the morning of November 28, 1745. For, owing to 
the wariness of the invaders its people had not received 
the least intimation that that morning should not be just 
as peaceful as any that preceded it. 

On the return of M. Beauvais from below with his re- 
port, Marin gave orders for the advance and attack. 
From this point let the journal of the French adjutant 
be our guide.^^ 

"The Nipissing and Abenakis followed the eastern 
shore of the river under the lead of Messrs. de Courte- 
manche and Niverville with a few French volunteers." 
to look after the settlement on that side. 

"November 28. On the return of Beauvais we began 
to move quietly, and in good order with all the officers at 
their posts. We marched through the woods about a 
league along a very good road and then came to the 
houses. When we reached the first one M. Marin or- 
dered me to detail four Frenchmen and ten Indians to go 
and surround it, but did not permit them to attack it 
until daybreak, which was the time when we were all to 
make the attack together. We had not gone more than 
an eighth of a league when they fired a gun and uttered 
their death yells, rushing to the assault. The Abenakis, 

^^ This journal was found in the archives at Quebec after its capture by 
Wolfe in 1759. It was placed in the hands of Col. Philip Schuyler, as the 
■one most interested. 



36 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

[on the east side], who until then had awaited 
the signal, took upon themselves to make the 
attack, and from that time it was not possible 
to exercise any control. However, we went on 
to the edge of the wood in good order. M. de Beauvais 
having told M, Marin that we were discovered, he di- 
rected us to follow him. We passed a very rapid river 
[Fish creek], for which we were not prepared, and came 
to a sawmill, which two men (a negro and a Dutchman), 
were running, and in which there was a large fire. M. 
de St. Ours and M. Marin's son were disputing the pos- 
session of the negro with an Indian, although another 
Indian said that it was Marin who had captured him. 
His father, with whom I was, told him this was not the 
time to dispute about prisoners, and that it was neces- 
sary to go on and take others. A large party attacked 
a blacksmith's house on this side of the river [creek], 
when a native unfortunately killed a child twelve or four- 
teen years old. It was doubtless the darkness of the 
night and the fear of the river that separated us. 

"Coming out of the mill we went to the house of a man 
named Philip Schuyler, a brave man, who would not 
have been seriously incommoded if he had only had a 
dozen men as valiant as himself. M. Beauvais, who 
knew and liked him, entered the house first, and, giving 
his name, asked him to give himself up, saying that no 
harm would be done him. The other replied that he 
was a dog, and that he would kill him. In fact, he fired 
his gun. Beauvais repeated the request to surrender, to 
which Philip replied by several shots. Finally Beauvais, 
being exposed to his fire, shot and killed him. We im- 
mediately entered and all was quickly pillaged. This 
house was of brick, pierced with loop-holes to the ground 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 37 

floor. The Indians had told us that it was a sort of guard 
house where there were soldiers. In fact, I found there 
more than twenty-five pounds of powder, but no soldiers. 
We made some of the servants prisoners, and it was said 
that some people were burned who had taken refuge in 
the cellar. 

"We burned no more houses before reaching the fort, 
as this was the last. We had captured everybody, and 
had no longer any cause to fear lest anyone should go 
and warn the fort of our approach. It was at quite a 
considerable distance from the houses where we had been. 
We found no one in it. We admired its construction. 
It was regularly built, and some thought one hundred 
men would have been able to defend it against 500. I 
asked M. Marin if he wished to place a detachment 
there ? He replied that he was going to set fire to it, and 
then told me I might go and do my best. This permis- 
sion gave several of us the pleasure of taking some pris- 
oners, and it did not take us long to get possession of all 
the houses below the fort, breaking the wnndows and 
doors in order to get at the people inside. However, 
everyone surrendered very peaceably. We had never 
counted on the facility with which all the houses were 
taken and the pillage accomplished. We set fire to ev- 
erything good and useful; for instance, more than 10,000 
planks and joists, four fine mills, and all the barns and 
stables, some of which were filled with animals. The 
people who were in the fields were in great part killed by 
French and Indians. In short, according to our estima- 
tion, the Dutch will not repair the damage we caused 
short of 200 marks. The barns were full of wheat, In- 
dian corn and other grains. The number of prisoners 
amounted to 109, and about a dozen were killed and 



38 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

burned in the houses. Our achievement would have 
been much more widely known and glorious, if all the 
merchants of Saratoga had not left their country houses, 
and gone to spend the winter at Albany ; and, I may add, 
had we met with more resistance. 

"The work was complete at 8 a. m., when M. Marin 
issued orders for the retreat. On our return we reached 
Fort St. Frederic, December 3d, and Montreal, December 
7th."2s 

Such is the French account of that deed of savagery. 
The chronicler, apparently somewhat ashamed of their 
work, strives to paint the barbarities of that night in as 
light a shade as they Avill bear. The number of prisoners 
given is no doubt correct, because he was in a position to 
know, but the number mentioned as butchered is pal- 
pably incorrect. The savages, greatly exasperated over 
the recent execution of seven of their braves by the Eng- 
lish, would not be content with ten or a dozen scalps. 
Nor could any individual in that party possibly know 
how many perished. It was night and they were con- 
cerned only to do their work of destruction as quickly 
as possible and retire. Governor Clinton gives the number 
killed as thirty. This is doubtless much nearer the truth. 
Only one family escaped by flight.-" 

Thus what we saw to l3e a busy, thriving hamlet on the 
27th of November was a scene of blackened ruins and 
an utter solitude on the 28th. The prisoners, men, wo- 
men and children, many of them half clothed and bare- 
footed, were collected, bound together and headed toward 
the frowning north, doomed to a fate which, to man^• of 



"^Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. X., p.' 76; also G. 
W. Schuyler's Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. II. 

20 Documents relating to Colonial Hist of N. Y. Vol. VI., p. 288; Vol. 
X., p. 39. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 39 

them, was worse by far than death. Some died in pris- 
ons. A few were ransomed from the Indians and re- 
turned, but most of them never saw the old home-land 
again. 

A thrill of horror ran through the colonies as the news 
of this catastrophe spread. A storm of indignation 
broke over the heads of the governor, the Assembly, and 
on everyone who could, in any way, be held responsible 
for the defenseless condition of this frontier post. 

Captain John Rutherford, who commanded the com- 
pany from which the men were detailed to garrison the 
fort, demanded a court of inquiry, which was granted. 
The men swore that the fort was neither habitable nor 
defensible ; that there was no well for water, nor oven for 
baking bread. Lieutenant Blood testified that Governor 
Clinton had given him orders to withdraw unless the 
Indian Commissioners should repair and equip it as they 
had promised. They failed to do so, and therefore he had 
withdrawn the men as per orders. 

There is little doubt but that the men exaggerated the 
facts considerably, as they probably found it dull busi- 
ness doing garrison duty at such an out-of-the-way place, 
and naturally wanted to get away, and keep away. 

That the fort was untenable is disproved by the testi- 
mony of the Frenchmen above quoted. They thought it 
to be admirably built, and that 100 men could hold it 
against 500. 

The only English account of the massacre at Saratoga 
which has been preserved, aside from Governor Clinton's 
brief report to the Lords of Trade appears in a letter to 
Sir William Johnson. It is dated 

^ Albany, Nov. 28, 1745. 

I have received your favor of the 23d instant &c. 



40 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The bearer hereof In obedience to your Request therein 
shall herein give you as brief and true account of that un- 
fortunate Affair which happened on the 17th ^'^ [O. S.] 
Instant at Saraghtogue — as I am Every Other Night & 
day on the watch, and my houses full of people soe 
That I cannot be at Large herein, — Viz : at Break of Day 
or one hour or two before Day a Number of 400 french 
& 200 Indians appeared and did Besett all the houses 
there, Burnt and Destroyed all that came Before them. 
Left only one Sawmill standing which stood a little out 
their way it seems ; took along with them such Booty 
as they thought fit & kilt and took Captives 100 or 10 1 
persons. Black and white. I guess the Black most all 
prisoners, and the number of them exceeds the number of 
the white. The unfortunate Capt. Philip Schuyler was 
kilt in this Barbarous action, they say certain true ; hoped 
He may Rather Be prisoner, the Latter is not Believed. ^^ 

Sr, 

Your friend, well wisher, 
& Very Humble Servant 

ROBT. SANDERS. 

The Assembly severely blamed the governor for with- 
drawing the garrison. Instead of doing that, he should 
have reinforced the post with some of the many idle 
troops camped below Albany, where they were of no use 
to anybody. Once at the fort they could have repaired 
it speedily, dug a well, and built an oven as a matter of 
agreeable employment and exercise. 



^^ The English at this time used the old style of reckoning, which was 
eleven days behind that of the French, who used the new style. The Eng- 
lish dated the massacre of Saratoga November 17th; the French November 
28th. 

SI Johnson liSS. Vol. XXIII., p. 18. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 41 

The truth is that the Governor and the Assembly were 
both to blame; for each was more anxious to spite the 
other than to care for the public interests. 

The secret of this animosity was that Clinton, like his 
predecessors, was an absolutist, very jealous of the 
King's, and his own, prerogatives. On the other hand 
the Assembly, as representing the people, who were large- 
ly Dutch trained to republicanism before they emigrated, 
was equally jealous of its rights and liberties, and would 
neither be cajoled nor bullied into giving up a single 
privilege it had gained, but constantly pressed for more. 
The struggle for liberty and independence and the drill 
for self-government in these colonies began long years 
before the Revolutionary war. The Dutch of New York 
and the Pilgrims of New England had tasted the sweets 
of civil and religious liberty, and self-government in Hol- 
land, before they came here, and they were not disposed 
to yield them up at the beck and call of despotic gov- 
ernors who did not believe that colonial subjects had any 
rights which they were bound to respect. 



CHAPTER Vni 

Fort Clinton — Its Site — Its Fate 

Im^iediately after the destruction of Saratoga, Colonel 
Schuyler (cousin of the general) suggested to the gov- 
ernor that the fort be rebuilt. The governor and council 
took the matter under advisement at once. As a result, 
Clinton ordered it to be rebuilt immediately, trusting that 
the Assembly would furnish the means with alacrity.^- 



=- Minutes of Council in MSS. Vol. XXL, p. 



42 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The Assembly appropriated to this purpose i5oi ($750) 
on the 24th of December, 1745 ; a sum wholly inadequate, 
as this sixth fort in the series was to be considerably 
larger than the one destroyed. The work was started, 
and much of that winter was apparently spent in the work 
of reconstruction. In March it was ready for occupancy 
and was named Fort Clinton after the governor, but great 
difficulty was found in getting the militia up to garrison 
it. Dread of the French and Indians was doubtless the 
reason. 

In June, 1746, the fort is said to have been in bad re- 
pair, which probably means that it lacked completion. 
What troops made up the first garrison has not been as- 
certained. 

A party of Indians hovering about Saratoga in July, 
of that year, reported to the French that there were 300 
at the fort. Still another party reported to the French 
that no person went outside the fort except in parties of 
thirty. This was about August first of that year, 1746.^' 

Early in September a band of fourteen Abenaki In- 
dians, headed by Sieur de Montigny, who had been de- 
tached by M. Rigaud, after his attack on Fort Massa- 
chusetts,^* came over this way to keep an eye on Sara- 
toga, and learn about the rumored English expedition 
against Crown Point. One day they caught a party of 
twenty soldiers outside the fort, escorting a wagon loaded 
with clay for making a chimney, fell upon them, took 
four of them prisoners, and scalped four ; the rest threw 
themselves precipitately into the fort, some of whom were 
badly wounded. 



33 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. X., p. 59. 

^* Fort Massachusetts was located at Williamstown, Mass. Its site is 
marked by a liberty pole and can be seen from the train a little way east of 
the B. & M. Station. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 43 

About October 2^ a scouting party of thirty-three In- 
dians and four Frenchmen, under M. Repentigny, hover- 
ing- about the road somewhere between Saratoga and 
Waterford, heard a great noise through the woods toward 
the river. The Indian chief skulked down to the road 
to see what was up and discovered a great train of wagons 
escorted by several hundred troops bound for Fort 
Clinton. There were a few carriages in the caval- 
cade occupied by finely-dressed officers. The enemy 
stationed themselves near the road in a thicket and waited 
their chance. Seeing a couple of carts somewhat sepa- 
rated from the rest they pounced upon the drivers, killed 
both of them, scalped one, and scattered in the woods 
before any one could come to the rescue.^^ 

This was no doubt the New York militia, under the 
command of Captain Henry Livingston, who was com- 
mandant of the fort from November, 1746, till March, 
1747. The wagons were loaded with ammunition and 
camp belongings, provisions, etc. 

In December, '46, a French and Indian scouting party 
observed the fort [no doubt from the top of some trees on 
the high ground toward Victory], and reported that it 
was twice as large as the old one ; that the English had 
a large storehouse erected near the fort, and that the gar- 
rison numbered perhaps 300.^'' 

Early in March, '47, Lieutenant Herbin at the head of a 
party of thirty French and Indians struck a blow near 
Saratoga. They fell upon a detachment of twenty-five 
on their way to Albany, killed six of them, captured four, 
and the remaining fifteen threw away their muskets and 
took to flight. These prisoners reported some interest- 



^^ Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. X., p. 75. 
88 Ibid. p. 89. 



44 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

ing facts concerning Fort Clinton, viz : That there were 
twelve cannon at the fort, six eighteen-pounders and six 
eight-pounders; that lOO bateaux had been built for the 
proposed expedition against Crown Point ; that a great 
sickness had prevailed that winter at Albany and was 
still raging there and at Saratoga, where a great many 
of the soldiers had died.^'^ A letter was found in the 
pocket of the commanding officer, who was killed, written 
by Commandant Livingston. This letter declares that 
"all the soldiers are ill ; that the garrison is in a miserable 
condition ; that no more than a hundred men are fit for 
duty; that we are in want of every succor," and then 
adds : "Were we killed in this expedition against Canada 
it would have been an honor to us ; that the fort is in the 
worst condition imaginable, and I pity the men who are 
to succeed us." Verily, when two mother hens spend 
their time fighting each other (as did Gov. Clinton and 
the Assembly) the chickens are pretty sure to suffer. 

It is not known who immediately succeeded Captain 
Livingston, but John H. Lydius, of Fort Edward fame, in 
a letter to Sir Wm. Johnson, dated Albany, June i6, 1747, 
relates the following incident found in a letter received 
from Captain Jordan of Saratoga. A fleet of 300 birch 
canoes had passed down the river, and that when the fort 
opened on them with cannon they replied with small arms 
and hastened on toward Albany.^^ A Captain Jordan, 
no doubt, was here as commandant, but the story about 
that number of canoes filled with Indians deliberately 
paddling by a fort within easy range of its cannon is 
decidedly improbable, for the Indian ever had a mortal 
dread of the "big guns" of the white man. 



2^ Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. X., pp. 93, 96. 
38 Tolmson MSS. Vol. XXIII. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 45 

From the beginning of the war there had been much 
talk and preparation for the conquest of Canada. The 
colony of New York spent 7o,oooi ($350,000) on it ; but 
it all evaporated in talk and preparation. 

Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsyl- 
vania and Maryland were all to help, but only a few 
troops ever assembled at Albany. After the fall of Louis- 
burg an army of 3,000, well led and officered, could 
have marched from end to end of Canada without very 
serious opposition ; for she had but few troops with which 
to defend herself at that time. But jealousy and ineffi- 
ciency then ruled in the seats of authority in thase col' 
onies, and so nothing was accomplished. 

"In union there is strength ;" but first get your union. 

La Corne St. Luc's Expedition Against Fort 
Clinton, 1747 

The reader has no doubt been impressed with the 
thought that the French kept themselves thoroughly 
posted on the situation at Saratoga (Schuylerville). As 
a result they felt themselves justified in making another 
attempt at the fort's reduction. M. Rigaud had charge 
of the next expedition. From Fort St. Frederic (Crown 
Point) he detached M. de la Corne St. Luc with twenty 
Frenchmen and 200 Indians of various tribes to strike 
the blow. The journal of that expedition is worth the 
reading, so we give it here : 

"June 23d. Started from Fort St. Frederic at mid- 
night for Sarastau to endeavor to find an opportunity to 
strike some good blow on the English or Dutch garrison 
at Fort Klincton, as they called it. 

"26th. Left his canoes and slept near the river of 



46 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Orange [Hudson], which he crossed, the first in a Httle 
pirogue. Had five canoes made of elm bark. Left 
Messrs. de Carqueville and St. Ours to cross their men. 
All were over at two o'clock in the afternoon. 

"28th. At early dawn the Abenakis told him he was 
exposing his men very much, and they wished to form an 
ambuscade on a little island in front of the fort, in order 
to try and break somebody's head. He told them they 
must go to the fort. 

"He sent Sieur de Carqueville with seven Indians of 
the Saut and Nepissings, to see what was going on at the 
fort. They reported that some forty or fifty English 
were fishing in a little river [the Fish creek], which falls 
into that of Orange, on this side of the fort. He sent 
Sieur de Carqueville, a Nepissing, and an Abenaki to ex- 
amine where the fort could be approached. M. de St. 
Luc said he should give his gun, a double-barreled one, 
to the first who would take a prisoner, and told them that 
after the first volley they should charge axe in hand. He 
said the same thing to the French. Sieur de Carqueville 
arrived, and said the English had retired into the fort. 
I sent M. de St. Ours to see where the river [Fishcreek] 
could be crossed, and to watch the movements of the fort. 
He returned to say that he had found a good place ; that 
several Englishmen were out walking. They crossed the 
river [creek] and spent the remainder of the day watch- 
ing the enemy. 

"29. They all crossed half a league above [Victory 
Mills], though the Abenakis were opposed to it. Waited 
all day to see if any person would come out. Sent 
twenty men on the road to Orange [Albany], who re- 
turned under the supposition that they were discovered, 
passing near the fort. Made a feint to induce them to 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 47 

come out. He demanded of the chiefs six of their swift- 
est and bravest men ; commanded them to lie in ambush, 
on the banks of the river, within eight paces of the fort 
at daybreak, to fire on those who should come out of the 
fort, and to try and take a scalp, and if the fort returned 
their fire to pretend to be wounded and exhibit some dif- 
ficulty in getting off so as to induce the enemy to leave 
the fort. Those in ambush neither saw any person nor 
heard any noise ; they came to say they thought they were 
discovered. The chiefs assembled around the officers and 
said that they must retreat; that they were surrounded 
by 400 men who had just come out of the fort. These 
gentlemen told them that it was not the custom of the 
French to retire without fighting, when so near the enemy 
and that they were able to defend themselves against this 
number of men, should they be so bold as to come and at- 
tack them. 

They sent out the six scouts to lie in ambush at their 
appointed place, and to pass the night on their arms. He 
commanded the French and Indians to discharge their 
pieces in case a large number of people came out and to 
let them return the fire, and then to rush on them axe in 
hand, which was done. 

"30th. Those who lay in ambush fired on two Eng- 
lishmen who came out of the fort at the break of day on 
the 30th, and who came towards them. The fort made a 
movement to come against our scouts who withdrew. 
About a hundred and twenty men came out in order of 
battle, headed by two Lieutenants and four or five other 
officers. They made towards our people, in order to get 
nearer to them by making a wheel. They halted at the 
spot where our scouts had abandoned one of their mus- 
kets and a tomahawk. [Another account says they w^re 



48 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

lured some distance from the fort.] De St. Luc arose 
and discharged his piece, crying to all his men to tire; 
some did so, and the enemy fired back, and the fort let fly 
some grape, which spread consternation among the In- 
dians and Canadians, as it was followed by two other dis- 
charges of cannon ball. Our men then rushed on them, 
axe in hand, and routed the enemy, who they pursued 
within thirty toises [about 200 feet] of the fort, fighting. 
[Another account says St. Luc surrounded them.]^' 
Some threw themselves into the river and were killed by 
blows of the hatchet, and by gunshots. Forty prisoners 
were taken and twenty-eight scalps. The number of 
those drowned could not be ascertained. One lieutenant, 
who commanded, with four or five other officers, were 
killed and one lieutenant [named Chews] was taken pris- 
oner. Only one Iroquois of the Saut was killed, he was 
attacked by three Englishmen ; five were slightly 
wounded. 

"The attack being finished, Sieur de St. Luc collected 
the arms and withdrew his men. He remained with 
three Frenchmen and as many Indians, watching the en- 
emy's movements. About 150 men, as well as they 
could judge, came out of the fort, without daring to ad- 
vance. Of the 120 or 130 who might have been in the 
sortie from the fort, some twenty or twenty-five only 
appeared to have re-entered it." 

The above quotation is given at length chiefly that the 
interested reader might have the data from which to form 
his own opinion as to the location of Fort Clinton. It 
has been a bone of historic contention for many years. 
Some writers, taking their cue from the description given 
by the Swedish traveller Kalm, have placed it on a hill 



Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. X., p. 112. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 49 

east of the Hudson. *° Others insist that it was located 
north of the Fishcreek on or near the site of Fort Hardy. 

After a careful reading of the above journal, the pres- 
ent writer ventures to claim that Fort Clinton, like the 
blockhouse and the two wooden forts which succeeded it, 
(of 1739 and 1745) was also on the west side of the Hud- 
son and south of Fishcreek, and near the bank of the 
river. 

Note, first, that the whole force crossed the Hudson to 
the west side on the 26th of June, and they nowhere speak 
of re-crossing to get at the fort. Second. The "little 
river" was no doubt the Fishcreek, as in Marin's journal. 
The French called all such streams rivers. Third. The 
main body crossed this "river'' a half league above its 
mouth. (Of course that "river" could not be the Hud- 
son.) The rapids at Victory Mills answer that particu- 
lar. Fourth. "The road to Orange" (Albany) was on 
the west side of the Hudson, and according to the journal 
this "passed near the fort." Fifth. The ambush or de- 
coy of six men was to lie on the bank of the river within 
eight paces of the fort. This would be impossible were 
the fort on the high bluff east of the Hudson where Kalm 
puts it. Sixth. Again, as the official records say, that 
Governor Clinton ordered the fort, which was destroyed in 
1745, to be "rebuilt," and since no objection to the old 
site anywhere appears, it is a fair presumption that the 



*" "Saratoga has been a fort built of wood by the English to stop the 
attacks of the French Indians upon the English inhabitants in these parts, 
and to ser\e as a rampart to Albany. It is situated on a hill on the east 
side of the River Hudson, and is built of thick posts, driven in the ground, 
close to each other, the manner of Palisades, forming a square, the length 
of whose sides was within the reach of a musket shot. At each corner are 
the houses of the officers and within the palisades are the barracks, all of 
timber. The English themselves set fire to it in 1747, not being able to 
defend themselves against the attacks of the French and their Indians." — 
Peter Kalm's Travels. Vol. II., p. 287. 



50 THE SrORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

word "rebuild" here means to erect another fort on the 
site of its predecessor. Seventh. Moreover, the "Httle 
island" mentioned in St. Luc's journal as "in front of 
the fort" is still in the old place about a half mile below 
Fishcreek. This landmark together with the statement 
in Marin's journal that the fort burned by them in 1745 
"was quite a considerable distance from the Schuyler 
houses where we had been" suggested to the writer the 
place where we ought to look for the site of old Forts 
Saratoga and Clinton. So one day he asked Mr. E. A. 
Chubb, whose father for many years owned the flats in 
that locality, if there was not a spot opposite or nearly 
opposite the little island on which in plowing they some- 
times found broken bricks and loose stones. He replied : 
"Yes, there is such a place there, and it is the only place 
on the flats where you can find a stone big enough to 
throw at a cow ; and, besides, we used to find many lead 
balls, and grape shot and brass buttons, and we also 
found several cannon balls, and father used to imagine 
that there might have been an old fort or something of 
that kind there." 

The writer soon thereafter verified this by an exam- 
ination of the ground. The place is a few rods below the 
"little island," which, by the way, having been denuded 
of trees has for years been wearing away.^^ There scat- 
tered over ground a little higher than the rest, he found 
many brick-bats and rough stones which had no doubt 
formed part of the "twenty chimneys" and fire-places in 
the old fort. The space over which these fragments are 
scattered is about 225 feet square. Loads of them have 
been dumped over the bank, doubtless to get rid of them. 



*i The remnants of a little island directly in front of the fort can be seen 
r.t low water. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 51 

On a later visit Mr. George Hathaway, the present 
owner, called the writer's attention to what appeared to 
be sections of heavy stone walls embedded in the bank 
100 feet or more below the dumping place, and which 
recent freshets had exposed ; for the river is rapidly cut- 
ting away the banks here. There, plainly visible, are 
some foundations of the old fire-places, three in a row, 
together with a stratum of broken brick, stone and 
charred wood about sixteen inches below the surface. 
In laying them the builders had dug three feet below the 
surface. Many thin brick of the old Holland pattern lie 
about mingled with the stone that have tumbled down. 
About 100 feet north of these we discovered another 
fcmdation which had been partially disclosed bv ar en 
terprising woodchuck. We also picked up many old 
hand-made nails in the charred wood embedded in the 
steep bank. Another person recently found in the same 
place an English half-penny datea 1730. 

In addition to the above Mr. F. B. Pennock, an intelli- 
gent citizen of Schuylerville, told the writer that many 
years ago while staying in Whitehall, N. Y., he became 
acquainted with an aged St. Francis, or Abenaki Indian, 
who told him that his grand-father was present at the at- 
tack on Fort Clinton, and was afterward down here 
with Burgoyne. He exhibited an old sketch map 
of Saratoga on which he pointed out the location of sev 
eral points of interest, among which was the site of Fori 
Clinton. After returning here it occurred to Mr. Pen- 
nock to go to the place indicated by the Indian, and see 
if he could discover any signs of a fort or other structure. 
He found the stones in the bank and the old bricks, etc., 
lying around which certified him that the Indian knew 
what he was talking about. He spoke of it to several 



52 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

of the older citizens, but they were incredulous and so he 
let the matter drop. The spot located by Mr. Pennock 
and that fixed upon by the writer are one and the same. 
Eighth. A careful reading of Kalm's account leads one 
to conclude that despite the fact that the fort, seen by 
him, had been set on fire, much of it was yet standing, 
else he could not have given so detailed a description of 
its construction ; whereas, the French account declares 
that nothing remained of Fort Clinton but twenty chim- 
neys. Kalm's fort must have had log chimneys lined 
with clay or plaster, for there are no sufficient 
remains of stone chimneys, or brick fire-places on either 
the hills or the flats east of the river to warrant the belief 
that such a fort had stood there ; and furthermore, there 
are no stones suitable for chimney construction to be 
found within several miles of the site of it. In support 
of this theory we offer the following certificate presented 
by Philip Livingston with his bill for building the fort : 

Nov. nth, 1721. 
This is to certify that John Campbell was detained at 
the Block House at Saraghtogue, after the rest of the 
men was sent home, upon the account of his trade, and 
has wrought nine days making the chimbley's Backs and 
pounding the Hearths.*^ 

WILLIAM HELLING, (Capt.) 

This would indicate that the chimneys were lined with, 
and the hearths made of clay, as stone chimneys would 
need no lining. 

Again, Kalm's fort was square, whereas. Fort Clinton 
was oblong according to French measurements. The 
fort described by Kalm was doubtless the one built by 



"2 N. Y. Colonial MbS. Vol. LXIV., p. 45. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



53 



Philip Livingston in 172 1, and kept in repair as a refuge 
for the people on the east side of the river. Kalm evi- 
dently did not inspect the west bank of the river, and 
hence did not see the remains of Fort Clinton. In a 
speech at Albany in 1754 King Hendrick chides the Eng- 
lish for having burned their "forts at Saratoga," which 
leaves room for Kalm's fort in addition to Fort Clinton. 
(See below). Recall also the two forts marked on Father 
Picquet's map in connection with Marin's expedition 
against Saratoga. Kalm obviously describes the one of 
the two located on the east side of the river. *^ 

Soon after the withdrawal of St. Luc, M. Rigaud 
came against the fort in the hope of finishing what his 
lieutenant had so auspiciously begun. But after sitting 
around in the woods watching for three days without 
catching anyone outside, he concluded that the loss of a 
hundred men had made the garrison very cautious, and 
that he could not carry the fort except by a regular siege. 
This together with the desertion of most of his Indian 
allies, compelled him to abandon the enterprise and re- 
turn.** 

The following letter written to Sir Wm. Johnson the 
day after the attack is of so interesting a character and 
in certain particulars tallies so closely with the French 
account that we insert it: 



*^ On invitation of the writer, Messrs. Samuel Wells, William S. Ostran- 
der, George R. Salisbury and W. E. Bennett, prominent lawyers in Schuy- 
lerville, went down and looked the ground over carefully. He thereupon 
read to them the above journals, and his conclusions therefrom, when they 
agreed that the spot answers all the conditions, and the remains and relics 
which have been discovered here, confirm the fact that this must be the 
site of those two Colonial forts known as Saratoga and Fort Clinton. Forts 
Clinton and Hardy alone, of the eight or more that were erected here, 
received a name; the others, each in its time, were always spoken of as the 
block house, or fort at Saratoga. See, e. g. the above quoted certificate. 

"Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. X., p. 115. 



54 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

"Saratog, Saturday night, June 20th, [O. S.] 

July 1st. [N. S.] 1747 

"I wrote you last night which was giving you an ac- 
count of the unhappy ingagement we had yisterday with 
the French, and have thought proper to write you again 
this evening for the following Reasons. This morning, 
at ten of the clock, A French Indian Came running to- 
wards the Garrison, and made all the signs of a distressed 
person, fired off his Piece, laid it down, and came up to 
the Garrison, and Desired to be admitted ; which was 
granted, and has made the following discourse, to wit: 
He says he came out of Crown pt under the command of 
one Monjr Laicore [La Corne St. Luc] who is com- 
mander in Chief of the whole party which consists of 
Twelve Companies. And since [then] he has Tould us 
he has Four Thousand French and Indians. And he 
further tells us that Monsr Lacore went up to the place 
of Rendesvous, which is The Great Carrying Place, [Fort 
Edward] after the engagement, with Mr. Chews Avho 
with the rest of the prisoners are sent to Crown pt. 
Monsr Lacore has left Monsr Lagud [Rigaud] as com- 
manding officer of 300 men who are constantly seen in 
the woods Round the Garrison, and he says his desire is 
to intercept all parties coming from Albany; And that 
Monsr Lacorn is expected down from ye Carrying Place 
with the rest of the forces under his command this Even- 
ing, and are determined to stay here until they can have 
several Guns, Provisions &c. that they have sent for to 
Crown pt. as thinking it impossible to reduce this place 
without them, tho he says they have got hand-grenades, 
Cohorns, shovels & spades, & fire-arrows in order to fire 
the Block Houses, which that party attempted to do that 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 55 

fired upon the Rounds [sentries] from under the Bank. 
The person appointed to perform the same had a Blankit 
carryed before him that we should not Discover the fyer 
upon the point of the arrows. They not finding [the] 
thing according to their mind thought it best to come the 
next night and undermine ye Blokhouse No. i, which 
they understood the Maggazine was in. But now I have 
rendered it impossible by Levelling ye Bank, and am in 
such a posture of Defense which will render it impossible 
to take ye Garrison with small arms, or anything else they 
have with them."*^ 

Here the letter ends, apparently unfinished, and is with- 
out signature. This ofificer certainly displays a good deal 
of pluck and resolution after <"he severe losses of the day 
before, and despite the threatening disclosures of the 
Indian says not a word about reinforcements. The letter 
written the day before, describing the attack has been lost. 

Peter Kalm, the noted Swedish naturalist, passed up 
through here on a tour of exploration just two years after 
this famous attack on Fort Clinton. He tells the story 
of it in his book as he had heard it from the lips of par- 
ticipants on both sides, and since it throws some new light 
on the situation here at the time we give it herewith. 

'T shall only mention one out of many artful tricks 
which were played here [at Saratoga], and which both 
the English and the French who were present here at that 
time told me repeatedly. A party of French with their 
Indians, concealed themselves one night in a thicket near 
the fort. In the morning some of the Indians, as they 
had previously determined, went to have a nearer view of 
the fort. The English fired upon them as soon as they 
saw them at a distance ; the Indians pretended to be 

« Sir William Johnson's MSS. Vol. XXIII., p. 44. 



56 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

wounded, fell down, got up again, ran a little way and 
dropped again. Above half the garrison rushed out to 
take them prisoners; but as soon as they were come up 
with them, the French and the remaining Indians came 
out of the bushes, betwixt the fortress and the English, 
surrounded them and took them prisoners. Those who 
remained in the fort had hardly time to shut the gates, 
nor could they fire upon the enemy, because they equally 
exposed their countrymen to danger, and they were 
vexed to see their enemies take and carry them ofif before 
their eyes, and under their cannon. There was an island 
in the river near Saratoga much better situated for a 
fortification.""' 

The last garrison that served in Fort Clinton was made 
up of New Jersey troops under Colonel Peter Schuyler. 
These troops seem to have fared worse at the hands of 
the public than any of their predecessors. Governor 
Clinton insisted that the New York Assembly should pro- 
vide for them ; but the Assembly refused on the ground 
that since this was a general war, and all the colonies 
alike interested in the defense of the frontiers, it was the 
duty of each colony to subsist its own troops, wherever 
they were on service. 

During the latter part of the summer of 1747 the As- 
sembly becoming apprehensive that the garrison would 
desert because of lack of subsistence, apprised Governor 
Clinton of the facts, and asked that a sufficient number of 
the forces recently levied in New York for the proposed 
expedition against Canada, be sent to garrison the fort at 
Saratoga, or that a hundred of the regulars be sent up, 
assuring him that they had an abundance of provision 
for their own troops. *'' 

*8 Kalm's Travels in North America. Vol. II., pp. 289, 290. 

*~ Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. VI., p. 618. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 57 

Finally the storm, which had been for sometime brew- 
ing and apprehended, broke in September of that year, 
when the majority of the garrison resolved to right their 
wrongs in their own way. So on the morning of the 
20th, at the word of their leaders, they shouldered their 
muskets and started for Albany. The official account of 
the incident is still preserved in manuscript, which we 
shall herewith put in type, for the first time, and as one 
reads it he cannot but wish that the soldier's side of the 
story had also been preserved. 

This letter was addressed to Governor George Clin- 
ton then in New York city. 

"Albany, Sept. 226., ly^y. 
"Sir: 

"On the 20th inst. deserted from the garrison of Fort 
Clinton (after the provision arrived there and the party 
had come away) [Provisions were finally sent from Al- 
bany on the 1 8th, but evidently too late] about 220 of the 
troops under Coll Schuyler's command and left him with 
about forty men. I immediately summoned a council of 
war, who join with me in the opinion, as there were not 
a sufficient number of men able to go to Saraghtoga with- 
out leaving the City and Quarters, with the sick entirely 
defenseless, that the cannon and other warlike stores be- 
longing to His Majesty ought (conformable [to] the 
Paragraff of your Excellencie's letter of the loth instant) 
to be brought away to Albany. I have accordingly or- 
dered a Detatched party from the whole, except your 
Excellency's Company who go down by the Douw [name 
of a sloop perhaps], for that service with horses, car- 
riages, &c, as is necessary for that purpose, [and] which 
are just marched. The Mayor and Corporation this 



58 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

morning applied to me to request that I would, if pos- 
sible, prolong the time of removing the artillery, &c, till 
the Return of an Express they now send down with the 
utmost dispatch, with one of their Aldermen to apply to 
your Excelency and Assembly, that a Provition may be 
made for maintaining that Garrison, which they are con- 
vinced cannot be by the new Levies in their present situa- 
tion. I have consented to it provided the Corporation would 
be at the expense of keeping the horses and workmen so 
many days longer than otherwise would be necessary, 
which they have agreed to; Especial as they assure me 
it will occation most of the Inhabitants of this City de- 
serting it, and be a further predjudice to us in 
regard to our Interest with the Indians. I have there- 
fore wrote to Coll. Schuyler to this purpose and have de- 
sired him to prolong the time of the preparation as will 
be necessary for removing; as Corking batteaux, &c., 
and that I would send your Excel'cy's commands up the 
Instant the Express returns, which beg may be as soon 
as possible; for I can have no dependence on the present 
Garrison, nor is there well men enough to relieve it. 

"1 have, however, advised Coll. [Peter] Schuyler if he 
finds he cannot maintain the Garrison till he hears from 
me, and it is your Excel'cy's Orders that the artillery, 
Stores, &c., belonging to His Majesty be all brought 
down to Albany. I take this opportunity of writing, and 
as I have but a quarter of an hour's notice, hope you will 
forgive the hurry I am obliged to write with,^^ I am 

Sir, Your Excel'cy's Most 

Obliged & Humble Serv't, 

J. ROBERTS [Colonel.]" 



*8N. Y. Colonial MSS. Vol. LXXVI. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 59 

On the receipt of this letter, Sept. 26th, CHnton im- 
mediately convened his council, laid the communication 
before them, and asked their advice. The council, which 
was wholly subservient to the governor, advised the 
abandonment and burning of Fort Clinton, and the sav- 
ing of as much of the timber as could be used in the con- 
struction of a new fort at Stillwater. 

Accordingly the governor, despite the pleas and pro- 
tests of the Albany delegation, sent up orders to burn the 
fort and remove the cannon, stores, etc. On the 14th of 
October following he laid before the council the aforesaid 
orders together with a statement that the fort was in 
ashes, and that the cannon, etc., were removed to Still- 
water/'' But there was no fort built at Stillwater to take 
its place. 

Fort Clinton must have been dismantled and the torch 
applied about October 5th, 1747, when the men, we may 
suppose with alacrity, turned their backs on the whole 
business, and left Saratoga to its pristine solitude, to sav- 
age beasts and the still more savage men from the north. 
The governor said in excuse for his orders that 
he had learned that the only persons interested in having 
a fort there were the Schuylers and a few others who 
wanted it as a protection for their wheat fields.^" When 
he made this statement he seems to have forgot those 
Commissioners who came to plead, in behalf of Albany 
and English prestige with the Indians, that the fort be 
preserved and regarrisoned. Hence the act of the gov- 
ernor smacks far more strongly of personal spite than of 
solicitude for the public treasury and the public safety. 

At the end of November, 1747, Sieur de Villiers, at the 



« Council Minutes. Vol. XXI. 

^ Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. VI., p. 630. 



6o THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

head of a troop of seventy Indians and French, while 
out on a foray, visited Saratoga and were greatly sur- 
prised to find Fort Clinton in ashes. They describe it as 
about 135x150 feet in size; that twenty chimneys were 
still standing- ; and that the well had been polluted. ^^ 

Thus Old Saratoga and her forts seem to have been 
doomed to hard luck, judging from the records. No 
story of heroic deeds done by the garrisons, has been 
preserved, if they were ever performed. Their neg- 
lected and half -starved condition seems to have sapped 
their energies, and quenched their fighting spirit. 

That the Albany people were right in their contention 
with the governor that the destruction of Fort Clinton 
would hurt the standing of the English with the Six 
Nations is evidenced by the following. 

In a General Colonial Council, held at Albany, in July, 
1754, to confer with the Indians, and endeavor to retain 
their allegiance. King Hendrick, the great sachem of the 
Mohawks, in his speech said this among other things : 

" 'Tis your fault, brethren, that we are not strength- 
ened by conquest ; for we would have gone and taken 
Crown Point, but you hindered us. We had concluded 
to go and take it, but we were told that it was too late, 
and that the ice would not bear us; instead of this you 
burnt your own forts at Saratoga, and run away from 
them, which was a shame and a scandal to you. Look 
about your country and see! you have no fortifications, 
no, not even to this city. 'Tis but a step from Canada 
hither, and the French may easily come and turn you out 
of your doors !"^^ 



" Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. X., pp. 147, 148. 
E2 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. VI., p. 870. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 6i 

The treaty of peace signed at Aix-la-Chapelle, in May, 
1748, put an end to King George's war and gave the 
colonists a breathing spell, but not for long. 



CHAPTER IX 

The French and Indian War 

There could be no permanent peace on this continent so 
long as both the French and English laid claim to all 
the vast territory west of the Alleghany mountains, and 
so long as their representatives here were each straining 
every nerve to make good that claim. 

The war which afterwards became general in Europe 
and was known there as the Seven Years War, began 
here in 1754 with a blow struck for English sovereignty 
in western Pennsylvania by a detachment led by a young 
man, with an old man's head on his shoulders. That 
young fellow was George Washington by name, and 
only twenty-two years old at the time. 

England had begun to realize the value of her pos- 
sessions here, and decided to do more for her colonies 
now than she had in the last war. Three separate ex- 
peditions against the French were to be organized; one 
led by General Braddock against Fort Du Quesne; one 
by Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts, against Niagara, 
and the third, directed against the very vitals of French 
power in Canada, must of necessity take the ancient war 
trail up the Hudson against Crown Point, and Quebec, 
if possible. 

The latter was entrusted to the command of William 
Johnson, then a colonel of militia, and a great favorite 
with the home authorities. The army was made up of 



62 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

five thousand provincials from the neighboring colonies, 

and collected at the ancient rendezvous of councils and 
armies, Albany. There too, that brave old Mohawk 
Sachem, King Hendrick, assembled his dusky warriors. 
Early in July six hundred pioneers went forward to 
clear the path to Lake George, and build at the Great 
Carrying place a fort. This they called Fort Lyman, 
in honor of the brave General who was leader of the 
party. Soon afterwards Johnson renamed it Fort 
Edward, in honor of the Duke of York and brother of 
George IIL On the 8th of August, General Johnson, as 
he was now called, started from Albany, and the whole 
war-like procession passed through Old Saratoga about 
three days thereafter. 

Since Saratoga figured so little in the war of i754-'6o, 
we shall give but a brief resume of the thrilling events 
of that period, referring the reader to the many excel- 
lent histories of that epoch. 

Johnson's mission was the reduction of Ticonderoga, 
and Crown Point. He reached Lac St. Sacrament in 
due time, and at once took the liberty to rechristen it 
Lake George, in honor of his sovereign, and, as he said, 
"an assertion of his king's right of dominion there." Hav- 
ing reached there he showed no anxiety about proceed- 
ing farther. The French were more aggressive, and 
since their foe did not come to them they would go to 
him and attack him on his own ground. Baron Dies- 
kau marched around by South Bay and Fort Edward 
and attacked Johnson on the 8th of September, John- 
son was able to beat him off, yet with great loss to both 
sides. Johnson failed to follow up his victory, while 
the scare of it was on the enemy and spent his time 
building a fort at the south end of the lake instead of 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 63 

taking the one at the north end, which he was sent to 
do, and which he might have done, had he been a Baron 
Dieskau. He named it Fort William Henry. "I found," 
he said, "a wilderness, never was house or fort erected 
here before." So that campaign failed of its object, 
but it gave the provincials a higher and truer notion of 
their own fighting qualities. Philip Schuyler took a 
hand in the battle of Lake George as a captain of the 
Albany County Militia. While nothing specially bel- 
ligerent occurred at Old Saratoga during the French 
and Indian war, yet the Johnson MSS. contain a few 
items which throw some light on the material conditions 
here at that time. 

General Johnson, on his march to Lake George, found 
the roads in a most wretched state. After the battle we 
find him taking steps to repair them, and improve the 
means of communication with Albany. In his letters 
and orders concerning these we find that Saratoga fig- 
ures quite prominently. Early in October, 200 men 
were set to work on the road between Albany and Sara- 
toga; a large number were also set to similar work be- 
tween Saratoga and Fort Edward on the east side. His 
soul was mightily vexed at the tardy manner in which his 
orders about these roads were obeyed, and at the way 
in which the soldiers "sojered." As Saratoga was the 
point where the supply trains crossed the river, much 
attention had to be given to the ways and means of the 
crossing. It appears that the point where his army 
crossed on the advance was not the best possible; for 
in a report to Governor Hardy, dated. Camp Lake 
George, 7th October, 1755, he says among other things: 
"Mr. Wraxall informs me that at the north end of an 
Island, opposite the House of Killaen DeRidder's, if the 



64 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Bank on the west side is dug away & a waggon passage 
made, the Ford of the River is not above Horse knee 
High,^^ whereas thro the usual Ford, unless the waggons 
are uncommonly high the water generally comes into the 
wagons by which means the Provisions have been often 
damaged."-''* 

Again as the river could be forded only at low water, 
provision had to be made for crossing at high water, 
and also for defending the passage against an enemy. 
A large scow boat was therefore built for ferrying the 
wagons, etc., over the Hudson. This ferry-boat was 
built near the house of one Hans Steerhart on the west 
side of the river at Saratoga. A picked company of 
fifty men from a Massachusetts regiment was posted 
here, during the fall of 1755, to guard the supplies and 
crossing, and to help the wagoners, etc., over.^^ 

Campaign of 1756 

Another expedition was planned the next year with 
the same objective, but under a different commander. 
This time it was led by General John Winslow. He 
started from Albany, about the first of June, with a 
force of 5,000 men. He built a fort at Stillwater, and 
hionored it with his own name. But he, like so many 
of his predecessors , marched up the hill and then 
marched down again^^with nothing accomplished, it 
is to be presumed, however, that the General and his 



^^ The river bank has been greatly worn away on the west side at this 
point, but remains of the old dug-way are still visible, and stock yet pass 
down it for water. From this point the ford passed to the north end of the 
island, thence north-east to where the line fence between Mrs. S. Sheldon's- 
farm and Walsh's reaches the river. 

"Johnson MSS. Vol. , p. 45- 

B" Johnson's MSS v'ol. III., pp. 131, 158. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 65 

warriors bold had a pleasant summer outing on Lake 
Georg-e, at the public expense. Philip Schuyler, dis- 
gusted with the inaction and incapacity of the leaders, 
left the service at the end of this campaign, but after- 
ward served in the quartermaster's department. 

Campaign of 1757 

The next campaign against Crown Point was under 
the leadership of the most spiritless, sneaking poltroon 
that had yet led the soldiery of these colonies to inaction 
and disgrace, General Daniel Webb. 

The efficient and stirring Montcalm, leader of the 
French forces, organized an expedition the same year 
against Fort William Henry. He was before it with 
6,000 men, 2,000 of which were Indians, by the 2d of 
August. The fort was defended by two thousand two 
hundred men under Colonel Monroe. Webb, with an 
army of four or five thousand, was at Fort Edward do- 
ing nothing. And when called upon for help virtually 
refused to give it, and traitorously allowed Fort Wil- 
liam Henry to be besieged and captured without lifting 
a finger to give it succor. For example, Sir William 
Johnson, having obtained Webb's reluctant consent, 
started with a body of provincials and Putnam's rangers 
for the relief of Monroe, when, after proceeding a few 
miles Webb sent an aide and ordered him back. 

Webb was clearly a coward. On hearing of the fall 
of Fort William Henry, he at once sent his own baggage 
to a place of safety far down the Hudson, and would 
have ordered a retreat to the Highlands had it not been 
for the timely arrival of young Lord Howe, who suc- 
ceeded in assuring him that he was in no immediate 
dans-er. And Lord Loudoun, the commander-in-chief 



66 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

in America for that year, and who, if possible, was a 
bigger coward than Webb, was utterly paralyzed by the 
news, and grimly proposed to encamp his army of twelve 
or fifteen thousand men on Long Island "for the defense 
of the Continent" ! The French could not possibly mus- 
ter over seven thousand men in all Canada at the time. 

It was during this campaign that an incident occurred 
on the east side of the river opposite Saratoga of some 
local interest. It is related by the Sexagenary, whose 
father was one of a body of wagoners returning from a 
trip to Fort Edward. He says: "The main body of- 
wagoners returned by the west side of the river, but my 
father and his friends kept on the east side, and when 
they reached the Battenkill, they discovered on crossing 
the bed of the creek the wet print of a moccasin upon 
one of the rocks. They were confident from this cir- 
cumstance that hostile Indians were near them, and 
that one must have passed that way but a few minutes 
before. To go back seemed as dangerous as to go for- 
ward. They therefore pushed on towards the river [at 
the ford] but had scarcely reached its bank when the 
distinct report of a musket in their rear brought with it 
the confirmation of their fears. When this firing was 
heard, a detachment from an escort guarding the wagon- 
ers on the west side came across to ascertain the cause. 
On searching, they found in a garden belonging to a Mr. 
De Ruyter [De Ridder] the body of a dead man, still 
warm and apparently shot while in the act of weeding, 
and then scalped." 

It was during this year, 1757, that the authorities 
again decided to adorn Old Saratoga with another fort. 
It was built on the north side of Fish creek in the angle 
made by it with the river, and named Fort Hardy, after 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 67 

the then royal governor of the province. It was by far 
the largest and most elaborate of the forts built here, 
covering some fifteen acres. It could have been of no 
practical use at that time further than a shelter for 
troops and a depot for supplies, because it was command- 
ed by hills on two sides within easy cannon shot. 

Concerning this fort as with old forts Saratoga and 
Clinton, there has been much diversity of opinion. One 
historian argues from its bad strategical position, and 
the silence of all Revolutionary writers (as he claimed) 
regarding it, that there was no such fort here. Others 
nfifirm that it was built by the French under Baron Dies- 
kau, in 1755. As to Baron Dieskau the fact is he never 
got further south with his valiant Frenchmen than the 
vicinity of Fort Edward. He himself, however, was 
brought down after the battle of Lake George in a boat, 
wounded and a prisoner of war. 

This dispute over Fort Hardy furnishes a good test 
case on the value of silence, on the part of contempo- 
rary writers, as tending to prove the existence or non- 
existence of an object, custom, or alleged fact. Here it 
is shown to be untrustworthy. The writer rummaging 
about the State Library in Albany came across 
the official journal of the engineer who laid out 
and superintended the building of the fort.^^ It 
was Colonel James Montressor, chief of the Royal 
Engineers in America. He was commissioned to 
build forts the same year at Albany, Schenectady, 
Halfmoon, Stillwater, Fort Edward and Fort George on 
Lake George. Fort George, like Fort Hardy, was of no 
value for defense, and for a long time was known as 
Montressor's Folly. He began work on Fort Hardy 

s« Collections of the N. Y. Historical Society. Vol. XIV. 



68 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

August 19th, 1757. For some time he had con- 
siderable trouble to get help, but on the 7th of 
September he had about a hundred men at work 
and six teams. There had been a sawmill on 
the north side of the creek, about where the gristmills 
are now located, but the provincial soldiers had torn it 
to pieces for firewood, so this work had to be done with 
whip-saws run by hand power. The stone was drawn 
from the hills, presumably from the ridge west of the 
old north burying ground, as old residents say loose 
stone was most plentiful there. The brick was brought 
down from Fort Edward in bateaux, or scow boats. 
Thus early Fort Edward had its brick yards. The tim- 
ber was procured up the river on both the mainland and 
islands, floated down and dragged out with ox teams. 
The first buildings finished were three storehouses, these 
were placed on posts three feet high to preserve the' 
stores from water in case of inundation. The capacity 
of the three was 2,596 bbls. of flour. The barracks for 
the soldiers were 220 feet long ; the officers' rooms were 
14x16 feet in size. One day the mechanics all struck 
work because the commissary tried to put them off with 
a gill of rum instead of their regular ration. The 
trouble was that "the jug was out." 

This journal discloses another particularly interest- 
ing fact, that there was already standing in that same 
angle, north of the creek, a blockhouse, or stockaded fort. 
Its size and location, as also that of the afore-mentioned 
sawmill, appear in the adjoining pen-sketch map repro- 
duced from the journal. It took several days to tear it 
down. When and by whom this fort was built is a mys- 
tery. The silence of the writers, however, does not estab- 
lish its non-existence. . 



w 






o" 



/ i 



-o» 



o* 



ol 



d 












-(,/ 

,//? 




-^ 










MONTRESSOR S SKETCH MAP OF FISH CREEK 
AND OLD BLOCK HOUSE 



70 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



Campaign of 1758 

The army mobilized for the campaign of 1758 was 
the most formidable and imposing that had yet ap- 
peared on the American Continent. This also was put 
under the command of one of those chicken-hearted but 
titled incompetents which royalty persisted in selecting 
for positions of grave responsibility. This time it was 
General James Abercrombie. He led an army of 16,000 
men up the old war path through Saratoga. It must 
have been a thrilling spectacle to see those gaily capar- 
isoned warriors swinging along with measured tread to 
the skirl of the bagpipe and the more stirring music of 
fife and drum. The trains of supply wagons, ambu- 
lances, and the batteries of artillery must have seemed 
well nigh endless to the onlooker. One French scout 
counted 600 oxen in one drove that were being 
driven north to feed this army of British beef eaters. 

Perhaps Lake George never served as a setting to so 
magnificent a pageant, as when, embarked in over 1,000 
boats, with flags and pennants flying, this embattled col- 
umn swept majestically over its crystal waters toward 
Ticonderoga. 

But how great the change wrought upon chis sup- 
posed invincible host in a single day of battle with the 
doughty Montcalm ! Through bad generalship, or rather 
through the lack of all generalship, we see this splendid 
army defeated, shattered, and panic stricken, scuttling 
back to Fort William Henry with its boats laden w'vh. 
the dead and dying. In one of these was borne tne body 
of the brave young Lord Howe, the very soul, aiid the 
acknowledged idol, of the whole army. On reaching 
the head of the lake, Philip Schuyler, now a major, 
whose deep affection he had won, begged and re.-eived 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 71 

permission to convey the body of his hero to Albany, 
where he was buried in St. Peter's church. Of those 
who died from their wounds many were buried at Fort 
Edward, and some were buried here at Old Saratoga 
(Schuylerville), but all in nameless graves. 

Campaign of 1759 

For the first time in her hundred years of occupancy, 
England selected as leaders for this year men who bore 
the semblance of generals— Amherst and Wolfe. Sat- 
isfactory results were soon apparent. With an army of 
twelve thousand, Amherst followed Abercrombie's line 
of advance, and within a week's time from landing at 
the foot of Lake George both Ticonderoga and Crown 
Point, for so long the dread and envy of the English, 
tvere in their possession. It is but fair, however, to 
state that owing to Wolfe's menace of Quebec, the gar- 
risons at these forts had been greatly weakened. That 
same year the brave Wolfe captured Quebec, Canada's 
Gibraltar, and so all Canada became an English posses- 
sion by the right of conquest. 

CHAPTER X 
The Revolution — The Causes of the War 

The scope and purpose of this work will admit of noth- 
ing more than a glance at the reasons which led the col- 
onies to declare themselves independent of the sover- 
eignty of Great Britain. 

There were but few people in England that knew much 
or cared much about America, and still fewer understood 
the Americans. The fact that they were colonists seemed 
of itself to reduce them to a lower plane racially than 



72 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

themselves. The EngHsh behaved as though they 
thought the colonies were of use only to be exploited for 
the imperial glory and commercial profit of Great 
Britain. Their asserted right to self-government in 
matters local was a thing rarely known in England, and 
of course, could not be tolerated by her in the colonies. 
The royal governors had all fumed and fretted them- 
selves into hysterics over the wilfulness and perversity of 
colonial assemblies. But so long as France was power- 
ful here, England dare not attempt to thwart the will of 
her colonists too much ; for she needed their assistance 
to maintain herself against the assumptions of her great 
rival. But when France was well out of the way, and 
England had a free hand on this continent, she at once 
began to assert her sovereign authority over her refrac- 
tory subjects. 

The Seven Years War had left her deeply in debt; 
she would make the colonies help her pay that debt 
through her Stamp Acts. She forgot that they had al- 
ready borne the brunt of the conflict and the expense of 
that war in so far as it was waged in this country. Next 
she set about depriving the colonial assemblies of their 
inherent legislative rights. She began to interfere in 
matters of "internal police," and was rapidly moving to- 
ward placing the administration of all law and govern- 
ment in the hands of men responsible to no one but the 
Crown. All this without consulting with, or asking 
the consent of, the colonists. Her repeated acts of 
tyranny finally aroused the provincials to realize that 
they were in imminent danger of losing even the com- 
monest liberties of an Englishman, and not till they 
found that all other efforts at obtaining redress had 
failed, did they resort to the arbitrament of arms. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 73 

Events of 1775 and 1776 

The final break came and open hostilities began in 
1775. This was a year big with success and inspiration 
to the patriots. It was the year of Lexington, and Con- 
cord, and Bunker Hill ; the important capture of Ticon- 
deroga, and Crown Point; the invasion of Canada, with 
the capture of St. Johns, of Chambly, and of Montreal by 
Montgomery under Schuyler, a campaign which, if it 
had received a decent and patriotic support from the citi- 
zenship and soldiery of the north, and something more 
substantial than resolutions from Congress, would have 
gained Canada for the Union, but which ended in defeat 
on the last day of December, and the irreparable loss of 
the noble Montgomery, who breathed out his heroic life 
with the expiring year under the granite walls of Que- 
bec. The end of this year also witnessed the siege of 
Boston under Washington, with good auguries of 
success. 

The year 1776 brought some more good cheer at its 
beginning, with the expulsion of the British from Bos- 
ton, the successful defense of Fort Moultrie in South 
Carolina, and the Declaration of Independence. This 
in turn was followed by disaster, in the ejection of the 
Americans from Canada, the defeat of Arnold on Lake 
Champlain, and also of Washington at the battle of Long 
Island, the loss of Forts Washington and Lee, and fin- 
ally the chase of Washington by the British across New 
Jersey into Pennsylvania. But as a breath of life to one 
well nigh asphyxiated, came the unlooked-for smashing 
of the Hessians at Trenton ; the outgeneralling of Corn- 
wallis and whipping of the British at Princeton, and the 
virtual expulsion of the enemy from the Jerseys in the 



74 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

end of that year. And all this by that same Washing- 
ton after Howe and Cornwallis had solemnly and unan- 
imously agreed that he had just received his quietus at 
their hands. 

Campaign of 1777 

After the evacuation of Boston by the British, Gen- 
eral Burgoyne, who was present during its investment, 
went to Canada and served under Carleton during 1776, 
but becoming dissatisfied with his position he returned to 
England. There, closeted with King George and his 
favorite ministers, they planned a campaign which was 
certain, as they thought, to put an end to the war and 
reduce the colonies to submission. 

The scheme was to get possession of the Hudson 
valley, sever the colonies, paralyze their union, and 
so, holding the key to the situation, conquer them 
in detail. 

To this end an ample force under St. Leger was to 
move up the St. Lawrence to Oswego, strike into New 
York from that point, capture Fort Schuyler, (formerly 
Fort Stanwix, where Rome, N. Y., now stands) and 
sweep down through the Mohawk valley to Albany. 
Another army under Howe was to move up the Hudson 
from New York toward Albany; and the third under 
General John Burgoyne was to take the old route from 
Canada south through Champlain and down the Hud- 
son, when they would all concentrate at Albany to con- 
gratulate each other, and divide the honors and the 
spoils. This admirable plan was adopted and its execu- 
tion was placed in the hands of Burgoyne, under the 
title of Lieutenant-General. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



75 



First Period of the Campaign 

Early in June Burgoyne started from Canada, ani- 
mated with the highest hopes and brightest anticipations. 
Should he succeed, as no doubt he would, he expected 
to find a title of nobility among other good things in his 
Christmas stocking. Certainly all things looked favor- 
able for his success. 

His was not the largest, but it was the best appointed, 
army that had yet appeared on these shores. ^''^ It was 
made up of British, 4,135; Germans, 3,116; Canadians, 
148 ; Indians, 503 ; total, 7,902. Later the 22d regiment 
joined him. 

Some of those regiments, both British and German, 
were ancient and honorable organizations, and were vet- 
erans of a hundred battles. Europe could furnish no 
better soldiers. 

On the 1st of July, Burgoyne was before Ticonderoga, 
which he at once invested. Through lack of sufficient 
force. General St. Clair, the commandant, felt obliged to 
abandon his line of' communication with Lake George, 
likewise "the old French lines" just west of the fort. 
Fie had not over 3,500 men all told, while the works were 
so extensive that it would require ten thousand to man 
them properly. Of course, the British seized the points 
of vantage at once and made the most of them. Still 
with his meagre force and contracted lines, St. Clair 
felt confident that he could keep the enemy at bay for a 
respectable while, and time was valuable just then to 
Schuyler, who was laboring to collect an army and get 
up reinforcements to him. 

^■^ "The brass train that was sent out on this expedition was perhaps the 
finest, and probably the most excellently supplied as to officers and men, that 
had ever been allotted to second the operations of an army." — Lieutenant 
Digby's Journal, p. 226. 



76 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The British, once on the ground, the practiced eye of 
that veteran artillerist. General Phillips, noticed a moun- 
tain across a stretch of water to the south which ap- 
peared to be unoccupied, and which looked to be within 
range of the fort. He had it inspected and the officer 
reported it to be within easy cannon shot, and though 
difficult of ascent, still accessible. One night's labor 
built a road and put several cannon on the summit of the 
mountain, which the British then christened Mount De- 
fiance ; an appropriate name under the circumstances, 
and the one it still bears. When daylight came, on the 
5th of July, the garrison was paralyzed with amazement 
to see the crest of that mountain blossoming with red- 
coats, and frowning with a brazen battery. A council 
of war was called immediately which decided that the 
vv^orks were now untenable, and that nothing was left but 
evacuation. That night, as soon as it was dark, the sick 
and the non-combatants, together with as much of the 
stores as they could load on the bateaux, were sent to 
Skenesborough (Whitehall) with an escort of six hun- 
dred men under Colonel Long". Having spiked the guns, 
the army quietly withdrew at 2 a. m. on the 6th over the 
floating bridge that connected Ticonderoga with Fort 
Independence, and started for Castleton, Vt. But the 
accidental, (some say intentional) burning of a house on 
the Fort Independence side betrayed their movements 
to the British, who straightway prepared for the chase. 
On the second day they caught up and the unfortunate 
battle of Hubbardton, Vt., was fought. 

In the morning after the evacuation the British 
fleet, having broken through the barriers placed in 
the lake between Ticonderoga and Independence, 
gave chase, caught up with and captured several 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 77 

of the flying galleys and bateaux. The Ameri- 
cans, having set fire to everything valuable at Skenes- 
borough, hastened toward Fort Ann. A detach- 
ment of British regulars under Colonel Hill pursued the 
fugitives the next day far toward the fort. The morn- 
ing of the 8th, having heard of their approach, Colonels 
Long and Van Rensselaer sallied forth and gave battle 
to Hill, in a narrow pass a little to the north-east, and 
would have annihilated him had it not been for the, to 
him, timely arrival of a body of Indians, and the failure 
of the American ammunition. °^ Fort Ann was imme- 
diately evacuated and burned ; but the British retiring to 
Skenesborough (Whitehall). The Americans returned 
and occupied the post till the 16th, 

Was Schuyler to Blame for the Loss of 

TiCONDEROGA ? 

Consternation and dread filled the hearts of the pa- 
triots over this unlooked-for disaster. They had fondly 
nursed the delusion that Ticonderoga was a veritable 
Gibraltar, impregnable ; and this apart from the question 
as to whether it was properly manned or no. As soon as 
the direful news spread through the country, a storm of 
indignation and obloquy broke over the heads of Gen- 
erals Schuyler and St. Clair. "They were cowards," 
"they were traitors," "they had sold their country for 
naught," "they had been bribed by silver bullets shot 
into the fort by Burgoyne." John Adams, in Congress, 



^^ In the action at Fort Anne the Americans lost tlieir colors, "a flag 
of the United States, very handsome, thirteen stripes alternate red and 
white, [with thirteen stars] in a blue field, representing a new constella- 
tion." — Digby's Journal, p. 234. 

This fact found in a British journal is especially interesting as connected 
with the early history of Old Glory. 



7! 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



said: "We shall never gain a victory till we shoot a 
General." This disaster gave occasion to the enemies 
of Schuyler to resurrect their old prejudices formed 
against him before the war in connection with the boun- 
dary disputes between Massachusetts and New York, 
and the quarrels about the New Hampshire Grants, in 
which Schuyler had taken a prominent part officially. 
They set to work to poison the minds of the delegates to 
the Continental Congress against him, and magnify the 
virtues of General Gates, who improved the opportunity 
to openly declare that New York had been wholly in the 
wrong in those disputes. 

It is worth our while to tarry a bit and glance at the 
principal facts that we may the better know how much 
blame to lay at Schuyler's door. First, as to his failure 
to occupy Mount Defiance; that, no doubt, was a fatal 
error of judgment; but that astute Frenchman, Mont- 
calm, and Generals Wayne and St. Clair, and Gates him- 
self, had all been in command there, and yet none of 
them had thought Sugar-loaf, as they called it, any 
cause for serious apprehension, though their attention 
had been called to it by a competent engineer. Abercrom- 
bie's failure to see it in 1758 cost him 2,000 men and 
defeat. A case exactly analogous occurred at Boston the 
year before. The British General Howe neglected to 
fortify Dorchester Heights, Washington seized it, 
planted his batteries, and the British forthwith evacu- 
ated Boston before he fired a shot at them from that 
point. 

Again: Why the insufficient garrison at Ticonderoga 
and the general lack of preparation in his department? 
Because, after he had labored all the previous winter, 
heartily seconded bv Washington, to put his department 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



79 



in a proper posture of defense, General Schuyler found, 
when spring opened, that he had accomplished but a 
fraction of what he had resolutely set out to do. And 
all this first, because of the apathy of the populace, and 
of most of the authorities to whom they unremittingly 
appealed. Again, because Gates and his friends 
through their intrigues had effectually blocked his 
efforts with the Continental Congress and various Legis- 
latures by traducing his character, and minimizing his 
abilities. Again; because of the desertion and chronic 
insubordination of most of the militia organizations; 
because of jealousies among his subordinates, and rascal- 
ity and sluggishness among contractors and commis- 
saries. Again, because troops ordered in time by Wash- 
ington to reinforce him, reported themselves for service 
weeks too late. 

Meanwhile Gates and his satellites had been more suc- 
cessful in their winter's work in that they procured an 
order early in the spring summoning Schuyler to appear 
at the bar of Congress, and give an account of himself, 
the outcome of which was that he was vindicated of all 
charges and restored to his command with increased 
power. On his arrival in Albany, June 3d, after 
an absence of two months, he found that Gates, 
who had been sent to take his place, had attempted 
little or nothing in the way of preparation. At 
once he threw himself into the work with re- 
newed energy because rumors were now rife of 
the advance of Burgoyne from the north, and of St. 
Leger from the west, but he was met on every hand with 
the same old indifference and languor, though he 
warned the authorities of possible disaster unless they 
should awake to the gravity of the situation. 



8o THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Schuyler was in Albany in a fever of expectancy and 
impatience, waiting for the four Massachusetts regiments 
which Washington had ordered up to his support from 
Peekskill, and as each day failed to bring them he fin- 
ally fixed on the 6th of July as the last day of his wait ; for 
he must be away to the north, if only with the few hun- 
dreds of militia at hand. But the Continentals 
failed to appear. So instead of the 10,000 he had called 
for, he had not more than 5,500 poorly-equipped, half- 
clad men and boys with which to meet Burgoyne's splen- 
did array of veterans. 

Just at daybreak on Monday, the 7th of July, he an- 
swered a loud knock at his door, when a messenger 
thrust into his hand a despatch announcing the evacu- 
ation of Ticonderoga. Of course, he was stunned by 
the news, not being able to account for the suddenness 
of the move, but he was not utterly cast down as were 
those around him, even though he knew that a storm 
of public fury awaited him. Immediately he mounted 
his fleetest horse and started for the north. At Still- 
water and Saratoga he dispatched messengers every- 
where announcing the dreadful tidings coupled with 
urgent pleas for help. 

Schuyler Blocks up Burgoyne's Pathway 

Schuyler reached Fort Edward the morning of the 
8th, where he immediately issued orders for obstructing 
Burgoyne's advance from Skenesborough, and for the 
driving ofl:' all cattle, horses, etc., and the removal of all 
wagons out of the reach of the enemy. Brigades of axe- 
men were sent to fell trees across the roads, to break up 
bridges, and destroy the corduroy roads that led through 
that savage, swampy, wilderness that stretched from 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 8i 

beyond Fort Ann to Fort Edward. So effectually was 
this work done that on some days Burgoyne could not 
advance over a mile. In all this Schuyler showed him- 
self a master of what in military parlance is called prac- 
tical strategy, which often proves more effective than 
pitched battles in vanquishing an enemy. As a result 
of this work it took Burgoyne twenty days to get his 
army from Whitehall to the Hudson, which time was 
greatly recovered their spirits ; it also enabled them to 
most valuable to the patriots, for during this period they 
bring away their war material and provisions from Fort 
George and transport it down the river. Among other 
things Schuyler saved 40 unmounted cannon. These 
were left at Saratoga (Schuylerville), where he ordered 
carriages to be made for them. For this purpose his 
mills located here were kept running night and day saw- 
ing up the stock of oak logs which had been collected 
for the building of bateaux for transport. Some of these 
cannon afterward defended the American camp at Bemis 
Heights, and were later used in the investment of Bur- 
goyne at Saratoga (Schuylerville). 

Stampede of the Inhabitants 

The patriotic inhabitants on the upper Hudson and 
near the lakes, seized with panic at the fall of Ticonde- 
roga and the sudden appearance of Burgoyne's Indians, 
hastily gathered together their most valuable effects, 
loaded them on carts or wagons, or the backs of horses, 
and in some cases leaving everything behind, started 
pell-mell for Albany, or Manchester, Vt., whichever was 
the more convenient. In their panic, and dread of the 
Indians, whom they fancied were right at their heels, 
they often forgot the ordinary claims of humanity. Those 



82 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

on horseback or in wagons paid no heed to the pleas of 
tired mothers, trudging along afoot, trying to escape 
with their children. "Everyone for himself, and the 
devil take the hindmost" was the code that too often 
ruled in those fugitive crowds. 



CHAPTER XI 
Second Period of the Campaign 

When Burgoyne reached Skenesborough on the 7th of 
July he found himself in a most happy frame of mind. 
Thus far it had seemed as if all that was necessary for 
him to do was to pass along, jar the trees, and the rip- 
ened plums of success fell of their own weight into his 
lap. So elated was he that on the loth of July he 
ordered a Thanksgiving service to be read "at the head of 
the line, and at the head of the advanced Corps, and at 
sunset on the same day, a feu de joie to be fired with 
cannon and small arms at Ticonderoga, Crown Point, 
Skenesborough and Castleton." That was indeed a 
bright day in Burgoyne's career, but alas! for him, he 
never again saw as bright a one. Here ended the first 
period of the campaign, as he calls it in his "State of 
the Expedition." 

He retained his headquarters at the house of Colonel 
Skene, after whom the place was named, till his men 
had cut their way, under a broiling July sun, through a 
tangled mass of tree-trunks and tree-tops, harassed 
night and day by exhaustless and persistent hordes of 
punkies and mosquitoes. When the road was cleared 
Burgoyne advanced with his host to Fort Ann on the 
25th, and on the 28th caught his first sight of the Hud- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 83 

son. Then he congratulated himself and his men that 
their troubles were over; but they had hardly begun. 
The first unpleasant discovery which he made was that 
Schuyler had so effectually stripped the country of food 
and forage that sufficient supplies could not be secured 
for love nor money ; he was therefore obliged to halt 
there till stores and provisions could be brought from 
Canada by the way of Fort George and Skenesborough, 
over wretched roads made worse by incessant rains. 

The Jane McCrea Tragedy 

While Burgoyne was encamped between Fort Ann 
and Sandy Hill there occurred an event, which he per- 
haps thought trifling, but, which wrought as power- 
fully for his defeat as any other one thing in the cam- 
paign. That was the murder of Jane McCrea, between 
Fort Edward and Sandy Hill, oh the 27th of July. She 
was a beautiful young woman visiting a Tory family 
at Fort Edward, and was engaged to a young Lieuten- 
ant of Provincials in Burgoyne's army, named David 
Jones. She and Mrs. McNiel, with whom she was stay- 
ing, were seized and carried from the house (still stand- 
ing in Fort Edward) by some Indians, part of a band 
who were in pursuit of an American scouting party 
which had fled to their camp, near the old fort. She 
was placed on a horse and while on the way to General 
Eraser's camp north of Sandy Hill she was shot acci- 
dentally by a party sent to their rescue, and then scalped 
by one of the Indians. This is one version of the story. 
Another version is, that the savages who had been sent 
for her by her lover quarreled over the promised reward 
on the way, and in their rage one of them shot her from 
the horse she was riding and scalped her. Her beautiful 



84 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

tresses were soon seen up at the camp dangling from the 
beh of the Wyandotte Panther. It was generally believed 
at the time that her murder was wholly the work of Bur- 
goyne's Indians. The news of this shocking tragedy 
drove her lover frantic, while her story, with many embel- 
lishments,' flew everywhere and aroused the people to a 
sense of their personal danger as nothing else had been 
able to do. Every man felt that his daughter, wife, 
mother, or affianced might be the next victim of the mur- 
derous savage. This occurrence served mightily to 
arouse hatred against the British for employing savages 
against their kith and kin. The result was that scores 
and hundreds who had been wavering before seized their 
muskets, hastened to the nearest recruiting station and 
volunteered for service against Burgoyne and his 
Indians. 

Schuyler's Movements 

While Burgoyne was eager to get himself and his army 
out of Skenesborough and over to the Hudson, Schuyler, 
seated at Fort Edward, was just as eager to block his 
way and prepare a desert waste there for his reception, 
and this he executed with such a measure of success as 
we have already seen. On the 12th of July, General St. 
Clair joined him at Fort Edward with some two thousand 
men, the remnant of the army which he brought away 
from Ticonderoga. The same day Nixon brought up his 
brigade from Peekskill, but instead of the four regiments 
ordered by Washington, he had only 575 effectives, many 
of whom were mere boys. 

Schuyler now found himself at the head of some four 
thousand five hundred troops, about fifteen hundred of 
which were raw militia. Here the calumnies so indus- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 85 

triously circulated against Schuyler and St. Clair began 
to produce their effect on the army, and this together 
with anxiety about ripening harvests, and the total lack 
of shelter for the troops, engendered so much discontent 
and insubordination, that the militia deserted faster than 
he could supply their places. In this desperate situation 
Schuyler appealed afresh to the Committees of Safety 
and other authorities in New York, and the Eastern 
States, to Congress, and to Washington for more men 
with which to stem the tide of invasion, but little help 
came to him; Congress was notably apathetic, and for 
more than a month hardly so much as lifted a finger for 
his aid and encouragement. Washington alone appre- 
ciated the situation. He wrote urgent letters to the 
militia generals in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New 
Hampshire, pointing out the danger to their homes and 
country should Burgoyne be left unopposed. He also 
sent General Arnold to Schuyler's assistance, and part of 
Glover's brigade, but he could do nothing further, as his 
own heart and hands were full with Howe and his erratic 
movements in the vicinity of New York. And yet in this 
hour of deepest gloom Schuyler writes to the Committee 
of Safety of New York : "I thank God I have fortitude 
enough not to sink" under the load of calumny that is 
heaped upon me, and despite it all I am supported by a 
presentiment that we shall still have a merry Christmas. "^^ 
He surely proved himself to be a prophet that time. 

Fort Edward possessed no fort during the Revolution, 
only a camp, and this being badly situated for defense, 
Schuyler withdrew the main body of his army on the 22d 
of July, four miles south to Moses' Creek, where Kos- 
ciusko, the noted Polish engineer, had laid out an 

f^o Collections of the N. Y. Historical Society. Vol. XII. 



86 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

intrenched camp. Here he prepared to dispute Burgoyne's 
passage; but the army became so dispirited and so 
depleted by desertion, that he, with the approval of liis 
officers, ordered a retreat further down the river, and 
nearer the source of supplies. The movement began on 
the 30th. His right wing under St. Clair took the west 
side of the river, and his left, under Arnold, kept down 
the east side. The movement was accomplished by easy 
stages, the army destroying the roads and bridges behind 
them. They reached Fort Miller on the first day's march, 
thence to Saratoga on the 31st of July. Here the army 
lay for two days. Schuyler's mills, and other buildings, 
located here, were full of public stores ; these had to be 
removed. General Schuyler and his staff spent all the 
first of August in the saddle looking for a suitable place 
hereabouts to entrench and make a stand against the 
enemy, but failing" in their quest, he ordered the retreat 
to be beaten on the 2d, and on the 3d the army reached 
Stillwater. Here he selected a place and began to 
entrench, and while here made the house of Dirck Swart 
(still standing), his headquarters. 

It was at Stillwater, where he received news on the 
8th of August, of the bloody battle of Oriskany, fought 
by the brave Herkimer and his Tryon County militia on 
the 6th, four miles east of Fort Schuyler (Rome). And 
from here he sent Benedict Arnold, on the 13th, with a 
detachment for the relief of Fort Schuyler. This was 
contrary to the wishes and advice of most of his generals, 
who feared to weaken the army ; but Schuyler resolutely 
assumed all responsibility, sent Arnold with a picked 
corps and Fort Schuyler was relieved, and St. Leger, 
with his Indians and Tories, abandoning their camp were 
sent scurrying to the northward. And thus Burgoyne 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 87 

was hopelessly crippled in the right arm of his strength, 
while patriot hearts thrilled with new hope in conse- 
quence, and Schuyler's little army was gladdened by the 
assurance of a speedy accession to its strength. 

Schuyler having concluded that Stillwater was unten- 
able with his present force, he withdrew to the "sprouts 
of the Mohawk," a place at that time admirably adapted 
for defense. General Winfield Scott on visiting this spot 
eighty years later, pronounced it the best strategic posi- 
tion to be found for the defense of Albany and the lower 
Hudson against the north at that time. 

Movements of Burgoyne 

Returning to the north we find that Burgoyne 
remained in the vicinity of Sandy Hill and Fort Edward 
till the 14th of August, when he moved down with his 
center to Fort Miller. Brigadier General Fraser, com- 
manding his right wing, had already been sent forward, 
and on the 13th we find him camped at the Battenkill. 
Following him came Colonel Baum, at the head of his 
521 dragoons, his Indians, and Tories, equipped for the 
expedition against Bennington, Vermont. Its purpose 
was to provide Burgoyne with a lot of much needed 
horses for cavalry, artillery, etc., besides other supplies, 
all of which had been stored there for the use of the 
American army. 

The Battle of Bennington 

Baum moved up the Battenkill, from what is now 
Thomson's, or Clark's Mills, on the 13th of August, but 
he went to his own death and the destruction of his 
corps of gallant men. He got within about six miles of 



88 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

his prey when he found his further advance blocked by 
a body of resolute militia under the redoubtable Stark. 
Baum sent back for reinforcements and prepared for bat- 
tle. He was furiously attacked on the i6th; the Colonel 
himself was mortally wounded and his force completely 
cut to pieces before Colonel Breyman arrived with the 
expected succor. When Breyman appeared on the scene 
he found himself confronted by a body of men flushed 
with victory and reinforced by Colonel Seth Warner and 
his regiment of 500 Green Mountain Boys. After a des- 
perate fight, in which his force was practically annihi- 
lated, Breyman escaped with a remnant of sixty or 
seventy men under cover of the night. Burgoyne lost 
nearly a thousand men in that affair, a thousand stand of 
arms, besides four valuable pieces of brass artillery. So 
this venture, from which so much was expected, brought 
far more foreboding than forage to the royal army wait- 
ing by the Hudson. Burgoyne was now badly crippled 
in the left arm of his strength. Lieutenant Digby, in his 
Journal (page 286) says, the British officers all carried 
sober faces after Bennington. 

La Corne St. Luc, the leader of the attack on Fort Clin- 
ton in 1747, had command of most of the Indians in this 
expedition. He, with many of his Indians, was with 
Colonel Baum when attacked, but the battle had hardly 
opened when they ran. Nor did they stop running when 
they reached the camp of Eraser at the Battenkill, but 
hastily collecting their effects they all, with the exception 
of about eighty, started at night for Canada.''" 

The two battles of Oriskany and Bennington caused 
the hitherto depressed Americans to believe that what 
they had done with Burgoyne's lieutenants they could no 

*" Hadden's Journal, p. 134. Digby's Journal, p. 253. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 89 

doubt do with Burgoyne himself, so they began flocking 
to the standard of Schuyler at the mouths of the 
Mohawk, and that of General Lincoln at Manchester, Vt. 

Schuyler Relieved by Gates 

Some days before these happy events at Bennington, 
and Fort Schuyler occurred, General Schuyler had been 
called to Albany on business. On the morning of the 
loth of August, as he was about to mount his horse and 
return to the army, an officer approached and handed 
him a dispatch. After breaking the seal and reading it 
an observant onlooker would have noticed an involuntary 
compression of the lips, a flush of passion crimson his 
face, and a gleam of righteous anger shoot from his 
darkling eyes. The dispatch was a resolution of Con- 
gress relieving him of his command. "Oh, the injustice 
of it! Was this his reward for all the unselfish toil, 
wasting anxiety, and limitless sacrifices he had been mak- 
ing for his country? Well, so it seemed. 

Smothering his resentment he dismissed the messenger 
courteously, and started for Stillwater. His first impulse 
was to abandon the army immediately, but an imperious 
sense of duty together with the urgent appeals of his 
officers, prominent among whom were the New England 
generals, decided him to remain and serve till the coming 
of his successor, whose name was then unknown. We 
may judge, however, that he was not much surprised 
when General Horatio Gates, the appointee of Congress, 
arrived in camp on the evening of the 19th of August to 
relieve him. He was received by Schuyler with every 
mark of distinction, who immediately turned over to him 
all useful papers, and offered to render him every assist- 



•90 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

ance in his power ; but Gates met every offer coldly and 
repaid his courtesies with studied slights. 

Gates arrived just at the turning of the tide in Schuy- 
ler's ill fortune; in time to reap what he had been sow- 
ing; to profit by the successes at Fort Schuyler and 
Bennington and by all the delays and harassments he 




SCHUYLER RESIGNING HIS COMMAND TO GATES 

had inflicted upon Burgoyne. Morgan and his corps of 
incomparable riflemen, ordered up by Washington, 
appeared about this time, and the troops set free by the 
late victories began to pour in. Moreover Congress had 
freely voted to Gates every aid and authority which had 
been asked by Schuyler but studiously withheld. Schuy- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 91 

ler finding himself totally ignored withdrew to his home 
at Albany, resolved however, still to serve his country 
in some way during this crisis. And this he did zealously 
and efficiently. Thus he put his own nobility of character 
and largeness of heart in startling contrast with the lit- 
tleness and coarseness of Gates. 

Estimates of Schuyler's Character 

The appearance of such exalted characters from time to 
time serves to hold us to our faith in the perfectability of 
human nature, and should stimulate all who contemplate 
them to cultivate the grace of unselfishness. Daniel 
Webster once -said to General Schuyler's grandson, Geo. 
L. Schuyler: "When a life of your grandfather is to be 
published I should like to write the preface. I was 
brought up with New England prejudices against him, 
but I consider him as only second to Washington in the 
services he rendered to the country in the war of the 
Revolution." Said Gov. Horatio Seymour in his Centen- 
nial speech: "We could not well lose from our history 
his example of patriotism and of personal honor and chiv- 
alry. We could not spare the proof which his case fur- 
nishes, that virtue triumphs in the end. We would not 
change, if we could, the history of his trials. For we feel 
that they gave luster to his character, and we are forced 
to say of General Schuyler that, while he had been greatly 
wronged, he had never been injured."^^ And Fiske, per- 
haps the greatest of living American historians, says of 
him: "No more upright and disinterested man could 
be found in America, and for bravery and generosity he 
was like the paladin of some mediaeval romance." 



®^ Memoir of the Centennial Celebration of Burgoyne's Surrender, p. 60. 
W. L. Stone. 



92 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Burgoyne's Advance Delayed by Bennington 

It had been Burgoyne's purpose to move right on 
toward Albany as soon as Baum should return with the 
spoils of Bennington, and he had already given orders 
to that effect. Indeed General Fraser had actually 
crossed the river on a bridge of rafts and boats August 
14th, and spent a day or two with his men at Saratoga/^ 
but the disaster to Baum and Breyman obliged a change 
of plan. In the meantime his bridge had been swept 
away by a freshet. Fraser with his corps got back to 
their entrenchments north of the Battenkill the best way 
they could on small boats and rafts, while the whole army 
was detained an entire month, till supplies could be 
hauled down from Lake George. This, through lack of 
sufficient draught animals, was a herculean task, men 
being forced to do the work of mules and oxen. 

This respite gained for us by the battle of Bennington 
was most opportune, because it afforded the needed time 
for recruiting and thoroughly organizing the American 
army, which was now progressing so rapidly at the 
"sprouts of the Mohawk." 

Fraser threw his first bridge across the Hudson, some- 
where above the State Dam at Northumberland, but find- 
ing a narrower and better place below the rapids con- 
structed the next one there. It was a pontoon bridge, or 
bridge of boats, about 425 feet long, and its exact location 
is still marked by the cut through the bank on the west 
side, and the road excavated by the British down the east 
bank. The road is clearly visible from the new iron 
bridge, in the rear of the house of Mr. John A. Dix. 
Mr. Dix has very considerately left this historic road 



«2 Hadden's Journal, p. 137. Digby's Journal, p. 249. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 93 

intact, and also much of the breastworks thrown up by 
Burgoyne, behind which he placed a battery to defend 
the crossing. Amid so much spoliation and vandalism 
which has been exhibited hereabouts it is refreshing to 
feel that there are some among us possessed of a proper 
reverence for such monuments of the heroic past. 

For a month after Bennington the British lay strung 
along the river from Sandy Hill to the Battenkill. Fraser 
was at the Battenkill, Burgoyne and Phillips with the 
center at Fort Miller or ''Duer's House," and Riedesel, 
with the left, at Fort Edward and Sandy Hill. 

Burgoyne Begins His Final Advance 

On Saturday, the 13th of September, the crossing 
began under the lead of Fraser. Colonel Breyman fol- 
lowed immediately to cover his left wing. Next, on the 
14th, came Burgoyne and Phillips with the train of 
artillery. To expedite the crossing the 20th regiment 
forded the river instead of crowding the bridge. Bur- 
goyne took up his quarters in the Schuyler mansion that 
night. 

The Marshall house and one other, standing where the 
old parsonage of the Reformed church now is, were then 
the only dwellings north of the creek. The military bar- 
racks built by the Americans in the northwest angle 
formed by Broadway and Spring street, were also stand- 
ing. Fort Hardy was then a ruin. The heights ^bove 
Broadway were nearly all densely wooded at that time; 
hence it was extremely hazardous for the advance guard 
to separate itself from the main body, cross the river, and 
camp in a position difficult of defense. 

That the British fully appreciated this we are assured 
from the fact that after Burgoyne was over, and while 



94 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

his center was crossing, he and his generals inspected the 
heights and decided where each division should be posted 
in the event of an attack. In fact the advance or right 
wing camped for two nights on the heights in three col- 
umns, in order of battle. '^^ 

On the 15th Riedesel with the left wing crossed, when, 
at once, Burgoyne severed his communications with Can- 
ada by breaking up the bridge. The advance was beaten 
and the invading host forded the Fishkill and started forth 
to find the enemy posted somewhere in the woods to the 
south. Singularly enough Burgoyne had not provided 
himself with scouts, or if he had them, did not use them ; 
hence we have here the unique spectacle of an invading 
army groping its way through an unmapped wilderness 
for an enemy, native to the soil, without sending out 
feelers or using its eyes to ascertain their exact where- 
abouts. 

The British advanced in three parallel columns, one 
by the river along the flats, the artillery and baggage by 
the main road, and the right wing a half mile or more 
to the west through the woods. Sometimes it was diffi- 
cult for the columns to keep up communication with 
each other. In addition to this a flotilla of bateaux, 
loaded with supplies, floated down the river and kept 
abreast of the columns. That day the army advanced 
only as far as Dovegat''* (Coveville) and encamped. 



8^ Digby's Journal, p. 267. 

6* Dovegat is a word whose etymology has been much in dispute. That 
it is of Dutch origin is not doubted. The writer consulted Mr. Arnold J. 
F. van Laer, State Archivist at Albany, a cultured linguist, and a native 
of Holland. He concludes that it is a corruption of the Dutch duivenkot, 
equivalent to the English dove-cote. It must have been a favorite haunt or 
nesting place of wild pigeons. Burgoyne, and Hadden, and Digby, all 
wrote it Dovegot. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



95- 



While stationed here, Biirgoyne occupied the house 
shown in the picture, and which was but recently tora 
down.®^ 

The army remained at Dovegat all of the i6th, while 
several regiments personally conducted by Burgoyne, and 
accompanied by some two hundred workmen, started, 
forth to repair bridges, and learn the whereabouts of the 
enemy. So rapid was their movements that they covered 
nearly three miles that day ; they saw no enemy, but 
heard the sound of beaten drums in the woods to the 
south calling the men to arms. On the 17th the army 
advanced and took up its position at Sword's house.*'*' 

While the British army was lying at Sword's house, a. 
party of soldiers and women strolled out in front of the 
encampment a few hundred yards to dig some potatoes- 
in a field. While thus engaged a party of Americans 
swooped down upon them, killed and wounded quite a 
number, and carried away some twenty of them as pris- 
oners.^'^ 

Movements of the American Army 

Soon after he had superseded Schuyler, Gates 
felt himself strong enough to start northward to dispute 



«8 When this photo was taken the house stood on the north side of the 
canal, but when the canal was straightened in 1888 it was left on the south 
side. Its exact location was just west of the south abutment of Mr. 
Charles Sarle's canal bridge. The large elm tree, still standing, was perhaps- 
two rods from the south-east corner of the house. The barns in the photo, 
stood on the north side of the present canal. 

^^ The site of Sword's house is on the sotith side of a spring brook, about 
fifty yards west of the canal. To find it, take the private road running 
westward, just north of Searles' ferry, cross the canal bridge, and on a 
knoll a little to the left you will find a slight depression, at the foot of a 
higher hill. That is where Sword's house once stood. Mr. Robert Searles. 
told the writer that his father tore it down, and that the hall was so large 
that he could turn a yoke of oxen around in it. 

^'^ Hadden's Journal, p. 160. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 97 

the advance of the enemy. This movement began on the 
8th of September. He first settled upon Stillwater as the 
place where he would make his stand and began intrench- 
ing there, (some of these works still remain) ; but thd 
finding by Kosciusko of a more defensible position at 
Bemis Heights decided him to advance to that point, and 
there, on the 13th, he began to intrench himself. 

Gates' right rested on the river, his left on the high 
ground to the west. The whole camp was fortified byt 
strong batteries and breastworks as well as by the natural 
defenses of ravines and thick woods. A deep intrench- 
ment ran from the foot of the hills to the river at Bemis' 
tavern, and was defended at the river end by a battery. 
From here a floating bridge was thrown across the river, 
defended on the east side by a tete du pont. A 
similar work was thrown up farther north at Mill creek. 
Several redoubts crowned the hills facing the river. A 
strong earthwork was constructed on the high knoll at the 
northwest angle of the camp, a mile or more west of the 
river. This was chrown up around a log barn, which was 
strengthened by a double coating of logs and named, 
after the patriotic owner of the property. Fort Neilson. 
In addition to breastworks the left and front on the high 
ground were made difficult of approach by an abatis 
formed of trees felled with their tops outward. The 
defenses on the high ground were not completed till after! 
the first battle. A flank intrenchment was also begun 
on a knoll a little west of Fort Neilson. 

Midway between Wilbur's Basin and Bemis Heights 
Mill Creek empties into the canal. Following up this 
creek you will enter first a wide and deep ravine which 
soon turns northward. This again separates into three 
principal ravines which lead toward the west. The one 



98 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

called the Middle Ravine was recognized as the dividing 
line between the hostile camps after the first battle. 
This figures largely in all descriptions of the movements 
and incidents connected with the battles. 

Arnold had command of the left wing till after the 
first battle. Under him were Morgan and Poor, with 
their headquarters in the Neilson house, still standing. 
Gates reserved to himself the command of the right, with 
his headquarters at Bemis' tavern. When he gave com-' 
mand of the right to General Lincoln he moved up on 
the hill into a house owned by Ephraim Woodworth, 
whose site is now marked by a granite tablet. A fairly 
correct idea of the lay of the land, the plan of the camps, 
and relative positions of the hostile armies, may be had 
by reference to the map. 



CHAPTER XII 

Battle of the iqth of September 

Early on the 19th of September, Lieutenant-Colonel 
Colburn of the New Hampshire line with a small scout- 
ing party posted themselves in the trees across the river 
from Sword's house to observe the British camp. From 
there they counted no less than eight hundred tents, but 
observed also something of far more consequence, namely, 
a movement among those tents that strongly indicated an 
advance. This being immediately reported to Gates, he 
put his men on the alert. 

The surmise of the scout proved to be correct. Bur- 
goyne had resolved to advance, ascertain the position 
and strength of his enemy and outflank him if possible. 
The movement was made in three columns. The right 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



99 



under General Fraser, composed of the 24tli regiment, 
the English and German grenadiers, a body of Provin- 
cials and Canadians, and a light German battalion with 
eight six pounders under Colonel Breyman took the road 
west from Sword's house till about where the Quaker 
Springs road now runs, and there turned south. The 
center column, led by Burgoyne, composed of the 9th, 
20th, 2 1st, and 62d regiments, with a body of Indians 
and Canadians, took the same road for half a mile west, 
when he turned southeast till he struck the Wil- 
bur's Basin ravine, crossed it and then turned 
west. Burgoyne's advance was very slow and laborious, 
as many obstructions had to be removed and several 
bridges thrown across ravines for the passage of his artil- 
lery. The intention was to form a junction with Fraser 
near the head of the Middle ravine and then attempt to 
turn the American left. Phillips and Riedesel, 
with the balance of the army, were to follow the river 
road to within a half mile of the American works and 
there await the report of three minute guns as notice that 
the aforesaid junction had been made, when they were to 
threaten the American right until Burgoyne had executed 
his flanking movement, then the advance was to be 
general. ' 

Gates, although apprised of these movements by his 
scouts, had planned to await the enemy from behind his 
defenses. But Arnold, divining the intention of Bur- 
goyne, urged Gates to permit him to go out with his men 
and attack the enemy before he could reach the camp, 
urging as arguments that if beaten in the attack they 
Avould still have their intrenchments to fall back on, and 
that if Burgoyne should get near enough to the camp 
to use his artillery, it would be impossible to hold their 



L.ofC. 



ipo THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

position. This brings to mind Napoleon's dictum, "It 
is a maxim of the miHtary art that the army which 
remains in its intrenchments is beaten." If that be cor- 
rect then Arnold here proved himself to be the better 
general. 

Finally Gates yielded so far as to permit Morgan, and 
soon thereafter Dearborn, with their rangers and rifle- 
men, to go out to observe and harass the enemy. About 
12 130 P. M. they met Burgoyne's Indians and Canadians 
under Major Forbes scouting near the Freeman cottage. 
These were driven back, with considerable loss, every 
officer in the party being either killed or wounded. Mor- 
gan's men eagerly pursued and unexpectedly struck the 
main body in the edge of the woods, northeast of the cot- 
tage where, after a stubborn contest, they were routed 
and badly scattered in the woods. Morgan, though 
greatly disconcerted by this accident, was soon able by 
the vigorous use of his "turkey call" whistle to rally his 
men about him. Having been strengthened on his left 
by the arrival of Cilley's and Scammel's regiments, they 
renewed the attack about one o'clock, but with indiffer- 
ent results. 

Burgoyne formed his line of battle in the woods on the 
north side of a clearing owned by one Isaac Freeman. 
It contained 12 or 15 acres and extended east and west 
about sixty rods. This clearing, called Freeman's farm, 
was the principal scene of the action of the 19th. Fraser 
with the right wing had reached the line of low hills just 
west of Freeman's farm when the action began. After 
the termination of the first skirmish, and when the contest 
had been vigorously renewed, Fraser wheeled to the left 
for the purpose of flanking Morgan and the other regi- 
ments when, to his surprise, he encountered, in the wooJs 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA lor 

near the head of the Middle ravine, Arnold with several 
additional New York and New Hampshire troops intent 
on separating Fraser from Burgoyne. It is needless to 
say that the dogs of war were unleashed at once, and a 
furious struggle ensued. The two most fiery leaders in 
either army were here personally opposed to each other. 
Arnold and Fraser both seemed ubiquitous, rushing 
hither and yon in the thick of the fray, giving orders and 
encouraging their men. The battle here raged for more 
than an hour, and Fraser seemed in imminent danger of 
being cut off from the main body when Colonel Breyman 
with his German grenadiers and a few pieces of artillery 
appeared on the field and assailing Arnold on his right 
forced him back. But he retired only to catch breath' 
and regain his strength, for soon being reinforced by two 
regiments of Connecticut militia he returned to the field, 
and then the battle raged all along the line. Fraser hav- 
ing formed his junction with Burgoyne, the chief strug- 
gle was now on Freeman's clearing and in the open 
woods just to the west. The Americans attacked the 
British furiously and drove them into the woods on the 
north side, where they were rallied, and charging with 
bayonets drove the Americans back across the same field 
into the cover of the woods to the south, where they in 
turn recovered themselves and hurled the redcoats back 
with great slaughter. Morgan's sharpshooters, posted in 
trees, did terrible execution among the British officers 
as well as the rank and file. Both sides exhibited the 
most desperate valor, and bloody hand to hand contests 
were frequent, especially about the British field battery, 
which was taken and retaken at every charge, but the 
Americans, having no horses nor matches could neither 
get them off the field nor fire them. Gates, having been 



I02 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

persuaded to reinforce the tired patriots, about five 
o'clock sent out Learned's brigade, which renewed the 
fight with such spirit that Burgoyne, finding himself on 
the perilous edge of defeat, sent to his left for reinforce- 
ments. Riedesel responded promptly and reaching the 
field about dusk, struck the American right, folded it 
back, and posted Pausch's battery on the hill south of 
Freeman's cottage, which was served with such efficiency 
that the patriots were obliged to give way and retire. 
Though nearly dark Riedesel and Fraser were on the 
point of following up their success when Burgoyne, 
neither energetic nor wise enough to improve his advan- 
tage, called a halt, to the infinite disgust of both generals 
and common soldiers. Thus twice during that eventful 
day the Germans saved the British army from rout, and 
yet Burgoyne scarcely mentioned them in his dispatches 
home. 

Of course Burgoyne claimed a victory, but like Pyr- 
rhus' victory over the Romans, another such would prove 
his ruin.^^ Indeed it had been an unusually fierce and 
sanguinary struggle. On the British side the 626. regi- 
ment was nearly cut to pieces. It had three or four 
ensigns or color bearers killed ; only sixty of the four or 
five hundred men who entered, with five or six officers, 
reported for duty, and thirty-six out of forty-eight men 
in Captain Jones' artillery company were either killed or 
wounded. The Americans lost in killed and wounded 
three hundred and nineteen, or ten per cent, of those 
engaged ; the British lost six hundred or twenty per cent, 
of those actually engaged. And as to the question of 



^5 It was a dear bought victory, if I can give it that name, as we lost 
many brave men .... and no very great advantage, honor excepted, 
was gained by the day. — Digby's Journal, p. 273. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



103 



victory: Since it was Burgoyne's purpose to advance 
and not simply to hold his ground, while Gates' purpose 
was to hold his ground and check the advance of Bur- 
goyne, the reader can judge for himself to whom the 
palm should be given. Moreover, the Americans learned 
that they were a match for the dreaded British regulars, 
which discovery was worth a victory in itself to them. 

Burgoyne issued orders for a renewal of the conflict 
in the morning. Accordingly, ammunition and rations 
were served early to the men, but a dense fog hindered 
any movement at the appointed hour. While waiting for 
it to clear up, Fraser observed to Burgoyne that since 
his grenadiers were greatly fatigued after yesterday's 
fighting, it might be well to wait till the morrow, when 
they would be in far better spirits. Acting on this sug- 
gestion, Burgoyne countermanded the order and the men 
returned to their quarters. The Americans, apprised of 
this proposed movement by a deserter, manned their 
works and awaited the attack in dread suspense. Had 
Burgoyne attacked that morning, as he had planned, in 
all probability he would have carried Gates' works ; for 
the American stock of ammunition was practically 
exhausted, and several days elapsed before the magazine 
was replenished.^^ 

The following night a dispatch from Sir Henry Clin- 
ton reached Burgoyne to the effect that he was about to 
move up the Hudson from New York to his aid. This 
decided Burgoyne to remain where he was until the 
expected diversion should cause either the withdrawal or 
diminution of Gates' army. 

88 It was due to General Schuyler's diligence in collecting powder and 
lead that this deficiency was supplied. For this purpose he had the lead- 
ing stripped from the windows and roofs in Albany, and sent up to the 
army. 



I04 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Why Howe Failed to Co-operate with Burgoyne 

For many years after the event, students of the Revolu- 
tionary war, in both England and America, cogitated 
much over Howe's failure to execute his share of the care- 
fully draughted plan of campaign. The question was, Why 
did he not advance up the Hudson simultaneously with 
Burgoyne's descent from the north? Clinton's attempted 
diversion in Burgoyne's behalf was afterward learned to 
be wholly on his own motion. This served rather to com- 
plicate than to clear up the problem. But a memoran- 
dum left by Lord Shelburne, and quite recently brought 
to light by Lord Edmund FitzMaurice, has solved the 
mystery. A number of orders, dispatches, etc., duly pre- 
pared, awaited the signature of Lord George Germaine, 
the colonial secretary. Among these were the orders to 
Howe giving explicit directions for co-operating with 
Burgoyne. Lord George called in the office on his way 
to attend some social function or fox hunt down in Kent. 
He hastily signed the several papers, but when he came to 
this particular one, on glancing it over, he refused to sign 
it on the ground that it was not ''fair copied." Always 
impatient of anything that interfered with his plans, the 
fairer "copy" must await his signature until he returned 
from his holiday. But when he came back the matter 
had wholly slipped his mind. And thus the document on 
which hung the fate of an army, and the retention of a 
vast empire, got pigeon-holed, where it was discovered, 
unsigned, long after Saratoga had tipped the balances in 
favor of American liberty and independence. Thus 
Howe being left to his own devices, planned a campaign 
to the south, placed Clinton in charge at New York, and 
left Burgoyne to shift for himself. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 105 

Those of us who beheve that the Almighty Ruler takes 
a hand in the affairs of men and nations, reckon this to be 
a conspicuous proof that he favored this people in their 
mighty struggle for a freer and nobler life. Indeed this 
whole campaign is full of astonishing Providences for 
those who have an eye to see them. 

Gen. J. Watts De Peyster, an acknowledged author- 
ity in military science, in a letter to the writer, says : 
"The American success of 1777 was due to 'the strategy 
of Providence' and not of men, as Kingsley puts 
it: certainly not to Gates, who was another of those 
English military phantasms, as he demonstrated in South 
Carolina in 1780." 

The Interim Between the Battles 

The morning after the battle the field presented a most 
distressing spectacle. The dead lay everywhere like 
autumn leaves in the forest. Some were still clutching 
their weapons, or the grass and twigs they had grasped 
in their death agonies, and some were mangled beyond all 
recognition. Shallow trenches were hastily dug on the 
field, into which the bodies were flung (each one of them 
no doubt was most precious and sacred to loved ones far 
away) and thinly covered with earth. Here note one of 
the horrors of war : a violent death, far from friends ; 
and burial like a beast in a nameless grave. The writer 
has heard old residents on these battle-fields tell of seeing 
human bones turned up by the plow and skulls of gren- 
adiers adorning stumps in the field. 

As soon as Burgoyne had resolved to await Clinton's 
coming, he moved the major part of his army up on 
the heights, occupied a portion of the late battle-field and 
began the construction of a fortified camp. The right 



io6 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

embraced the Freeman farm, and also took in a hill about 
sixty rods to the northwest of the Freeman cottage, since 
called Breyman's hill/*' On this a strong redoubt was 
erected; another was placed about fifteen rods north of 
the cottage, and the spot is now marked by a granite tab- 
let ; another, called the Great Redoubt, was located on the 
knoll a few rods southwest of the old battle well. This 
defended the southwest angle of the camp. Others were 
located at proper intervals from this point east across 
the plain to the crest of the bluffs near the river. These 
redoubts were connected by strong intrenchments. The 
interval between Breyman's hill and the next redoubt to 
the southeast was defended by a breastwork of two 
parallel tiers of rails laid up between perpendicular posts 
and the space between filled with earth. At Wilbur's 
Basin, a pontoon bridge was thrown across the river, 
its eastern end was defended by a tetc du pont. This 
bridge was intended for the use of foraging parties 
chiefly. On each of the three hills just north of Wilbur's 
Basin a redoubt was erected. The middle one was called 
the Great Redoubt. In addition to these defenses, breast- 
works of logs were thrown up at intervals along the brink 
of the Middle ravine as cover to the advanced pickets. 
Burgoyne had his hospitals and magazine on the river 
fiats below the hills. These were defended on the north 
by a line of breastworks. His headquarters were with 
the center on the high ground. 

Burgoyne's army was disposed as follows : Fraser's 
brigade held the right wing; Breyman. with his Bruns- 
wickers and artillery, defended the hill with its redoubt 
at the extreme right ; next to him were the Indians and 
Canadians, behind the rail breastworks ; next to the left 



''o The residents in the vicinity now call it Burgoyne's hill; a misnomer. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA joy 

was Earl Balcarras, with the Hght infantry, and the Eng- 
Hsh grenadiers. These manned the other redoubts on the 
right. Eraser's left rested on a ravine running north and 
south across the camp ground, and east of the Ereeman 
cottage. Hamilton's brigade occupied the center at 
Eraser's left, while Riedesel, with his Germans, held the 
left wing on the plateau overlooking the river ; a part of 
the 47th regiment and a few German companies defended 
the hospitals, magazines, etc., on the river flats. It is 
interesting to note, by the way, that the 47th took part 
in the battle of Bunker Hill. 

Thus the hostile camps, each the counterpart of the 
other, were separated by the distance of a cannon shot 
only. Indeed so close together were they that the British 
officers in their journals say they could often hear talk- 
ing and shouting in the American camp, while the sound 
of chopping and the rattle of chains were daily reminders 
that the Americans were strengthening their defenses. 
But the thick woods effectually screened each camp from 
the other. 

Though well able to defend himself against attack, yet 
Burgoyne and his men were allowed precious little peace 
or rest. He was subjected to constant harassments at 
the hands of the vigilant Americans. His advanced 
pickets were frequently gathered in by venturesome par- 
ties, his scouts and messengers were waylaid and cap- 
tured, and no foraging party dare move abroad without 
a strong guard. Packs of wolves attracted by the thinly 
covered bodies of the slain hovered about the camp and 
rendered the nights hideous with their dismal howls. No 
soldier slept without his clothes. No night passed that 
the officers were not up and abroad, repeatedly, to assure 
themselves against surprise, while everybody was 



io8 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

invariably up and equipped for action an hour before day. 
Thus two weary weeks had passed and yet no further tid- 
ings came from CHnton. Meanwhile the stock of provis- 
ions was running perilously low. 

Gates though urged to attack, wisely declined, feeling 
that time was fighting for him more efficiently and 
cheaply than could bristling battalions and belching bat- 
teries, in that his own army was augmenting, while Bur- 
goyne's was decreasing, and furthermore, a thing of far 
weightier import was the fact that gaunt famine could not 
be far away from his belligerent neighbor across the 
ravine to the north. 

On the other hand the American camp was not alto- 
gether a heavenly place. For some time Gates had been 
treating Arnold with growing coolness, for reasons that 
were not apparent to the ordinary observer. Colonel 
Brockholst Livingston, writing from the camp at Bemis 
Heights, says it was because Arnold was an avowed 
friend of General Schuyler. But after the battle of the 
19th this coolness rapidly developed into an open rup- 
ture. Gates in his report to Congress of the battle did not 
so much as mention the name of Arnold, nor did he 
speak of Morgan approvingly, though it was notorious 
that the checking of Burgoyne's advance was wholly due 
to Arnold's judgment and skill, ably seconded by Mor- 
gan. And when Arnold called his attention to this slight, 
Gates, assuming lofty airs, treated him as an impertinent 
meddler. Arnold, not being specially gifted with docility 
and sweetness of spirit, resented this, when high words 
ensued, which resulted in Gates depriving him of his 
command. General Schuyler, replying to a letter from 
Colonel Richard Varick, then in the camp, says : "I won- 
der at Gates' policy. He will probably be indebted to 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 109 

him for the glory he may acquire by a victory ; but per- 
haps he is so very sure of success that he does not wish 
the other [Arnold] to come in for a share of it." This 
conjecture of Schuyler's soon developed into a fulfilled 
prophecy. At the earnest entreaties of the officers of his 
division, Arnold pocketed his insults and determined to 
remain with the army till after the next battle, which 
then seemed imminent. 



CHAPTER XIII 

Battle of the /th of October 

BuRGOYNE^ not having heard anything from Clinton, and 
his commissariat running low, called a council of his 
principal officers on the evening of the 5th of October, 
laid the situation before them, and asked their advice. 
Riedesel advised a hasty retreat to Fort Edward ; Eraser 
conceded the wisdom of this, but was willing to fight; 
Phillips declined to give an opinion. Burgoyne, strongly 
averse to a retreat, decided to ascertain first, the position 
and strength of his enemy, by a reconnoissance in force ; 
and second, learn if the high ground to the west 
commanded Gates' camp ; then if he should think 
it unwise to attack, he would retreat. With a 
body of fifteen hundred picked men, and two 
twelve pounders, six six pounders, and two how- 
itzers, he set out from the camp between ten and 
eleven o'clock on the morning of the 7th. Generals 
Phillips, Riedesel and Eraser accompanied Burgoyne to 
assist in the reconnaissance. They moved toward the 
southwest about two-thirds of a mile and deployed in an 
open clearing and sat down while a detail of drivers 



no THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

and batmen from Fraser's brigade foraged in a wheat 
field. The place is the southern slope of the rise of 
ground just north of the Middle ravine. The highway 
running from Quaker Springs to Bemis Heights passes 
through the left of the center of the British position. 
The light infantry, under the Earl of Balcarras, were 
stationed on the right, Riedesel, with his Germans and 
a battery of two six pounders under Captain Pausch, held 
the center; Majors Ackland and Williams, with the 
grenadiers and most of the artillery, were posted on the 
left. General Fraser with five hundred grenadiers had 
occupied some high ground in advance with the intention 
of stealing around to the left of the American works and 
holding their attention while the main body could 
gain the high ground to the west of the American camp. 
Gates having been apprised of the movement, sent out 
his adjutant, Wilkinson, to ascertain if possible its pur- 
pose. Having posted himself on the high knoll at the 
turn of the road, about fifty rods south of the Middle 
ravine bridge he saw the enemy arrayed in the fields over 
against him, and several officers posted on the roof of a 
house, with glasses, trying to get a glimpse of the Ameri- 
can works. He reported that Burgoyne apparently 
offered battle. Gates said, "what would you suggest?" 
Wilkinson replied, "I would indulge him." Then, said 
Gates, "order out Morgan to begin the game." After a 
little consultation it was decided that Morgan should 
make a circuit to the west and strike the enemy in flank. 
General Poor, with his brigade, was to assail their left 
flank, while Learned's brigade and Dearborn's riflemen 
were to engage the center and left. Sufficient time was 
to be given Morgan to reach his position before the attack 
should begin. General Poor having formed his line of 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA m 

battle ordered his men not to fire till after the first vol- 
ley from the enemy. 

At about 2 :30 P. M. the advance began, and Poor's 
men descended into the ravine with perfect coolness and 
ascended the opposite bank with the steadiness of veter- 
ans. They were well up and were nearing the enemy 
before a shot was fired, when suddenly a tremendous 
volley of musketry and cannon thundered forth, but the 
pieces being elevated too much, the missiles of death 
harmed only the tree tops in their rear. At once they 
rushed forward in open order and forming again on their 
flanks, they literally mowed down the grenadiers with, 
their accurately aimed volleys. Then charging, they 
closed with the enemy, and a desperate hand to hand 
conflict ensued; the combatants surging back and forth, 
as each for the moment gained an advantage. The most 
furious contest, however, raged around Williams' battery. 
One of the twelve pounders was taken and retaken no 
less than six times, till finally Major Williams was taken 
prisoner, and Major Ackland, of the grenadiers, was 
seriously wounded, when the men, seized with panic 
through the loss of their leaders, abandoned the contest 
and fled. Colonel Cilley at this moment leaped upon the 
much disputed gun and having "sworn it true to the cause 
of America," turned it upon its late defenders. 

About the time the action began on the right, Morgan 
having discovered Fraser in his advanced position, man- 
aged to gain the ridge to the west and then rushing down 
upon him like an avalanche, compelled him to retire to 
the main body ; then by a quick movement to his left he 
soon placed himself where he could flank the British 
right, and then struck with such tremendous force as to 
fold them back and compel Balcarras to change front.. 



H2 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Almost simultaneous with Morgan's flank attack, Dear- 
born with his men leaped the fence and charged their 
front with such effect as to force them to give way, but 
Earl Balcarras, their skilful and intrepid leader, rallied 
and formed them again behind a second fence, where they 
held their ground for a little time; but being overborne 
by numbers and skill in the use of the deadly rifle, they 
soon broke into disorderly retreat. 

But where is Arnold all this while ? Arnold of the 
quick eye and lightning action; Arnold the thunderbolt? 
Why, he is being held in leash by the will of the jealous 
Gates. There deprived of all command he is pacing the 
ramparts of Fort Neilson like a caged lion. He hears 
the roar of battle ; his ear catches the shouts of the com- 
batants, but half a mile away, and the trumpet tones of 
command. A passing breeze brings to him a whiff of the 
battle's smoke. That, sir, is his native element ; it kindles 
a raging fire in his veins ; his soul is in his face ; his eyes 
are ablaze ; all the instincts of his nature urge him 
thither. He has asked Gates to allow him to serve as a 
volunteer in the ranks, but has been refused. The stress is 
too great for his unruly spirit. Breaking through all 
restraint he mounts his splendid bay, rushes through the 
sally port and is off for the scene of action in a trice. 
Suspecting his intention, Gates dashes off a dispatch 
ordering his instant return, and giving it to Major Arm- 
strong, bade him deliver it to him at once "lest he should 
do some rash thing." • 

Once on the field Arnold took in the situation at a 
glance, and putting himself at the head of a detachment 
of Learned's brigade, he directed them in a furious 
charge against the Germans at the center ; but being 
stoutly repelled by them again and again, he finally in a 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 113 

charge, which he personally led, forced himself through 
their lines closely followed by his men. Their lines thus 
broken, they retreated in confusion. Meanwhile Major 
Armstrong had been trying to fulfil his commission, but 
Arnold, divining his errand, managed to keep out of his 
way, till finally his course becoming so erratic and perilous, 
Armstrong decided to await a less hazardous occasion. 

But let us glance at the struggle from the British 
standpoint. Burgoyne was evidently disconcerted by the 
suddenness and vigor of the American attack. Fraser 
having been forced back from his advanced position, put 
in where he could be of the most service. Nor was there 
any lack of opportunity. Under the withering fire and 
tremendous pressure of the American attack, the lines 
were being constantly broken. Fraser on his splendid 
iron gray charger rushed fearlessly here and there rally- 
ing and animating the men and directing their move- 
ments. When the right wing was broken and in danger 
of being cut off, Burgoyne ordered Fraser to form a 
second line to cover and reinforce them. This movement 
was executed with such energy that Morgan's men were 
effectually held in check. The falling back of both wings 
uncovered the center, but the Germans stubbornly held 
their ground. It was at this juncture that Arnold's des- 
perate charge forced them into disorderly retreat. Fraser 
noticing their peril, hastened to their relief with the 24th 
regiment, which soon brought order out of chaos. 
Indeed wherever Fraser appeared everything seemed to 
prosper for King George, for the men believed in him 
and would follow him anywhere. Morgan, who was 
directly opposed to his brigade, noticing that the contest 
seemed to be wavering in the balances, called for a few of 
his best sharpshooters and directing their attention 



114 'THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

toward the enemy, said : "That gallant officer on the 
gray horse is General Fraser; I admire and respect him, 
but it is necessary for our cause that he should die — take 
your station in that clump of trees and do your duty."^^ 
But a few minutes had elapsed when the gallant Fraser 
fell mortally wounded, and was tenderly borne from the 
field by a detail of his brave grenadiers. 

After the fall of Fraser, General Burgoyne assumed 
the personal direction and bravely exposing himself, 
tried to rally his men and stem the tide, but in vain; 
for at this juncture General Tenbroeck, at the head of 
his brigade of New York militia appeared on the field, 
and the British overwhelmed and beaten at every point, 
were forced to abandon the field and seek refuge in their 
intrenched camp, leaving nearly all their artillery in the 
hands of the Americans. 

To avoid confusion on the part of the reader it will be 
well to note that the rout of the two wings and the center 
of the British force was nearly simultaneous, and that 
from the opening of this part of the contest to the retreat 
of the British only, fifty-two minutes elapsed. 

The British in retreating to their defenses were hotly 
pursued by the Americans, who assailed the front and 
entire right flank of Fraser's camp. The war demon 
raging in Arnold's bosom, not yet sated with blood and 
carnage, prompted him to lead portions of Glover's and 
Patterson's brigades in a dare-devil assault upon the 



''^ Some said that the suggestion to rid themselves of Fraser was made 
1.3' Arnold to Morgan. Indeed it sounds more like Arnold than Morgan. 

■^^a Admitting that in the present state of the moral world, and under 
certain conditions, war is sometimes necessary and right, yet the delib- 
erate singling out of a noble officer for death solely because he is a brave 
and powerful antagonist is murder, even though in the opinion of some 
the exigencies of the case seem to warrant it. That particular tattle 
would have doubtless been won without such resort to specialized butchery. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 115 

Great Redoubt, which defended the southwest angle of 
the British camp. He drove the enemy through and be- 
yond the abatis at the point of the bayonet, and then 
made desperate attempts to scale the works, but was 
finally beaten off with loss. This place proved to be a 
veritable "bloody angle" to the Americans, because in 
assaulting the redoubt they found themselves exposed to 
the fire of a strong battery shotted with grape and can- 
ister, and with little shelter to themselves save stumps 
and brush. Suffice it to say, they got out of that. Arnold 
seeing little chance for success here, recalled the men 
and then darted off alone northward toward the extreme 
British right in search of a more favorable opening. On 
his way he insanely urged his horse between the firing 
lines, but escaped unscathed. Meanwhile the redoubt on 
Breyman's hill, with its flanking breastworks, the strong 
defense of the British extreme right, had been thoroughly 
invested, but no assault had as yet been attempted. 
General Learned having just appeared on that part of 
the field with his brigade, asked Wilkinson, Gates' aide, 
who had surveyed the situation, where he could "put in 
to the best advantage." He replied that he had noticed 
a slack fire from behind .the rail breastworks in the 
interval between Breyman's redoubt and Balcarras' camp, 
and suggested an assault there. On his way to the place, 
Arnold appeared on the scene, and putting himself at the 
head of the brigade (Arnold was of right Learned's 
superior officer) led the assault . It chanced that there 
were but few men to defend those works at the moment, 
as the Provincials and Indians stationed there had been 
withdrawn for scouting and other service before the bat- 
tle, and nad not yet been returned to their places ; hence 
the slack fire from that point. The few that were there 



ii6 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

finding themselves overmatched by the assaulting party, 
soon abandoned the position and fled. This left the flank 
of the Brunswickers in the redoubt exposed. Arnold fol- 
lowing up his advantage, razed the breastworks, rushed 
with his men through the opening, struck them 
in the rear, and quickly possessed himself of 
that important work without serious opposition. 
The Germans who defended it fled precipitately, 
but left their brave commander^ Colonel Breyman, ^ 
behind in the works shot to death. Arnold had his horse 
shot under him by the parting volley and himself was 
wounded in the same leg that was hurt at Quebec. There . 
in the moment of victory he was overtaken by Major 
Armstrong with the order for his return to camp ''lest he 
should do some rash thing." He was now ready to go, 
but had to be carried. And he had done a very "rash 
thing," he had gone to the field without any official 
authority to fight, much less to command, and had con- 
tributed greatly to the winning of one of the most impor- 
tant battles in all history. A blessed thing it had been 
for his memory had that bullet gone through his heart 
instead of his leg. 

Lieutenant Colonel Speht, then in Balcarras' camp, 
hearing of Breyman's disaster to the right, undertook 
to recover the position, but having trusted himself to the 
guidance of a supposed royalist, he with his four officers 
and fifty men, were delivered into the hands of an Ameri- 
can detachment and found themselves prisoners. 

The Americans thus possessed of this right flank 
defense, found it to be an open gateway to the whole 
British camp. The British recognizing the significance 
of its capture, knew that the game was up for them. But 
night put an end to this struggle, as it did to 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 117 

the battle of the 19th of September. Both con- 
flicts also ended on practically the same ground. 
The loss to the British in this battle in killed 
and wounded and missing was about seven hun- 
dred. The loss of General Fraser alone was equal to 
that of a small army ; there, too, were Sir Francis Gierke 
and Golonel Breyman wounded to death, and Majors 
Ackland and Williams, and Lieutenant Golonel Speht 
prisoners in the hands of the Americans ; the loss of 
these men was well nigh irreparable. The American loss 
was inconsiderable, there being only one hundred and 
fifty killed and wounded. Arnold was the only com- 
missioned ofhcer wounded. This wide diversity in 
casualties was chiefly due, no doubt, to the superior skill 
in marksmanship on the part of the patriots. 

Golonel Wilkinson having occasion to pass over the 
field just after the British had retreated from their first 
position, records the following among other things which 
he saw : "The ground which had been occupied by the 
British grenadiers [where the battle was begun by Poor's 
brigade] presented a scene of complicated horror and 
exultation. In the square space of twelve or fifteen yards 
lay eighteen grenadiers in the agonies of death, and three 
officers propped up against stumps of trees, two of them 
mortally wounded, bleeding, and almost speechless. 
With the troops I pursued the flying enemy, passing over 
killed and wounded until I heard one exclaim, 'protect 
me, sir, against this boy.' Turning my eyes, it was my 
fortune to arrest the purpose of a lad in the act of taking 
aim at a wounded officer who lay in the angle of a worm 
fence. Inquiring his rank, he answered, T had the honor 
to command the grenadiers;' of course I knew him to be 
Major Ackland, who had been brought from the field 



ii8 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

to this place by one of his men. I dismounted, took him 
by the hand and expressed hopes that he was not badly 
wounded. 'Not badly.' replied the gallant officer, 'but very 
inconveniently, I am shot through both legs ; will you, sir, 
have the goodness to have me conveyed to your ca^mp ?' I 
directed my servant to alight and we lifted Ackland to his 
seat, and ordered him to be conducted to headquarters." 
Note the difference in spirit exhibited by the generals 
in chief in these two battles. Whatever the failings of 
General Burgoyne, he certainly was not lacking in the 
grace of personal courage ; for he exposed himself right 
in the thick of the fight in both battles, a target for sharp- 
shooters, who succeeded in putting a ball through his 
hat, and tearing his clothes but failed to touch his person. 
Gates, on the other hand, never ventured within a mile of 
either field, nor even got a whiff of the smoke of battle, 
unless, perchance, there was a stiff wind from the north 
that day. Besides being a coward. Gates again shov/ed 
himself to be the small minded, jealous ingrate, that we 
have already noticed, in that he barely mentioned Arnold 
or Morgan'^- in his report of the battle, and meanly 

■^2 Col. Daniel Morgan was living on a farm in Virginia when the 
news of the battle of Lexington reached him. He mustered a picked com- 
pany of riflemen and marched with them to Cambridge, Mass., a distance of 
600 miles, in twenty-one days. It was in the dusk of evening when Morgan 
met General Washington, who was riding out to inspect the camp. As they 
met, Morgan touched his broad-brimmed hat, and said: "General — from the 
right bank of the Potomac." Hastily dismounting, Washington "took the 
captain's hand in both of his, and pressed it silently. Then passing down 
the line, he presssd, in turn, the hand of every soldier, large tears streaming 
down the noble cheeks as he did so. Without a word, he then remounted 
his horse, saluted, and returned to headquarters." 

At the close of the second day's battle, Gates approached Morgan with a 
proposition to desert Washington, and support his pretensions to the chief 
command; but was indignantly repelled by Morgan, who replied: "I will 
serve under no other man but Washington." For this reply Gates revenged 
himself by not mentioning his name in the report of the battle in which 
he rendered such distinguished services. On returning to Virginia he 
christened his farm Saratoga. See Graham's Life of Daniel Morgan, also 
a sketch of Morgan by John Esten Cooke. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 119 

ignored the commander-in-chief, General Washington, in 
faiHng to report to him at all, which, to say the least, was 
a gross breach of official courtesy. 

On one of his returns from the battle field with reports 
Wilkinson found that Sir Francis Gierke had been 
brought from the field badly wounded and was laid upon 
Gates' bed, and that while the conflict was still raging, 
and the outcome was yet trembling in the balance. Gates 
was engaged in a heated argument with Sir Francis over 
the merits of the questions at isstie between England and 
America, apparently more anxious to win in that wordy 
contest than in the awful life and death struggle raging 
just outside his camp. Gates not being able to make his 
wounded prisoner yield to the force of his arguments, 
turned away in unconcealed disgust and said to Wilkin- 
son : "Did you ever see such an impudent son of a b — h !" 
The whole scene discloses the real fibre of the man's 
character. 



CHAPTER XIV 

Third Period of the Campaign — The Retreat 

BuRGOYNE now finding his position on the heights untena- 
ble, withdrew his army during the night of the 7th to 
the low ground near the river, retaining, however, so 
much of the high ground as lies immediately north of the 
Wilbur's Basin ravine. His leading generals urged him 
to abandon his heavy artillery and unnecessary camp 
equipage and push with all speed for Canada. But, 
No ! life on the way would not have been worth the liv- 



I20 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

ing without that precious park of artillery, his generous 
stock of liquors, and his packs of showy millinery ; so all 
must be risked that they might be kept.''^ 

The ancients had a saying that, "Whom the gods mean 
to destroy they first make mad." While a commission of 
lunacy would hardly have voted General Burgoyne non 
compos mentis, yet for the next few days his behavior 
was so lacking in sound sense and vigorous action that 
had he been really mad he could not have compassed the 
ruin of his army with greater certainty or celerity than 
he did. 

General PYaser died the next morning after the battle. 
Before his death he requested that he might be buried 
at 6 P. M. within the Great Redoubt on the second hill 
north of Wilbur's Basin. Such a request proves that 
General Fraser was not himself, or that he did not realize 
the situation when he made it. It was no time for Bur- 
goyne to take counsel of sentiment, yet he resolved to 
fulfil the dying soldier's request to the letter ; so he spent 
that, to him, precious day in preparing leisurely for 
retreat and in sharp skirmishes with the advanced lines 
of the Americans who had occupied his old camp ground. 
On this day the American General Lincoln, anxious to 
reconnoiter the enemy's position, and getting a little too 
close to the lines, was badly wounded in the leg by one of 
the British sharpshooters. Wilkinson writes that the 
same day (the 8th) : "The enemy refused a flag with 
which I attempted, at every point of his line, to convey 
a letter to Lady Harriet Ackland from her husband, a 
prisoner in our hands." 



''^ It took thirty carts to transport Burgoyne's personal baggage. No 
other officer in the army was allowed a single cart for his private use after 
they left Fort Edward. — See Haddcn's Journal, p. 314. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 121 

Death of Fraser 

General Fraser died in a small farm house which at the 
time was occupied by the Baroness Riedesel, wife of the 
General of the German contingent. The house was 
located near the foot of the hill whereon he was buried. 
When the road was changed it was moved and stood on 
the present highway near the river till 1873, when it was 
torn down. The Baroness in her Memoirs gives a 
touching account of the death of the General. 

On the morning of the 7th, before the reconnaissance 
and battle, Generals Burgoyne, Phillips, and Fraser had 
promised to dine with herself and husband, and she was 
still waiting for them when General Fraser was brought 
in on a litter mortally wounded. Afterward, when told 
that his hurt was fatal and that he had but a few hours 
to live, she heard him exclaim repeatedly and sadly : ''Oh 
fatal ambition ! Poor General Burgoyne ! My poor wife !" 
Then he frequently begged the Baroness' pardon for caus- 
ing her so much trouble, because he was laid in her apart- 
ment, and she was so assiduous in her efforts to add to 
his comfort. His brave spirit took its departure at eight 
o'clock A. M. of the 8th. The corpse having been washed 
and -wrapped in a sheet, was laid on the bed and she, with 
her two children, was obliged to remain in the room most 
of the day. 

Precisely at 6 P. M. he was carried by his beloved 
grenadiers -to the spot he had selected for his sepulture, 
accompanied by the chaplain Brudenell, the generals and 
all other officers whose duties would permit them to be 
present. The Americans noticing the procession, and 
imagining that some hostile movement was on foot, 
opened a battery upon them. The balls flew thick and 



122 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

fast, some of them tearing up the ground and scattering 
the dirt over the participants during the ceremony; but 
learning in some way that it was a funeral procession, 
they greatly honored themselves as well as the dead by 
substituting for the savage cannonade the solemn peal of 
the minute gun.'^* 

BuRGOYNE Describes Fraser's Burial 

Burgoyne's eloquent description of the burial of Fraser 
is well worthy of a place here. He says : "The incessant 
cannonading during the solemnity, the steady attitude 
and unaltered voice with which the chaplain officiated, 
though frequently covered with dust, which the shot 
threw up on all sides of him, the mute but expressive 
mixture of sensibility and indignation upon the mind of 
every man who was present, the growing duskiness 
added to the scenery, and the whole marked a juncture 
of such character that would make one of the finest sub- 
jects for the pencil of a master that the field ever exhib- 
ited. To the canvas and to the pen of a more important 
historian, gallant friend, I consign thy memory. There 
may thy talents, thy manly virtues, their progress and 
their period find due distinction, and long may they sur- 
vive, after the frail record of my pen shall be forgotten." 

Retreat and Delay at Coveville 

After the burial service was fittingly closed, Burgoyne 
issued orders for the retreat, an order sadly at 
variance with his grandiloquent orders of three months 
previous that "this army must not retreat." He felt 
obliged to leave behind him his hospital, with some four 



'^^ This is one of those pleasant traditions which, though not fully authen- 
ticated, one likes to believe. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 123 

hundred sick and wounded, whom he commended to the 
tender mercies of General Gates and his insurrectionists. 
His confidence in their humanity was not misplaced. 

It was nine o'clock before the army got under way. 
During the night a pouring rain set in, which, together 
with the inky darkness and the narrow road, permitted 
only a snail's pace movement. Burgoyne reached Dove- 
gat (Coveville) about 4 A. M., the same hour that his rear 
guard left Wilbur's Basin, or two hours before day, 
when he ordered a halt. It was generally supposed that 
this was for the better concentration of the army, and 
that they would move on again shortly; but, to the 
unspeakable chagrin and disgust of the whole army, the 
delay was protracted till 4 P. M. before the retreat 
was resumed. This was a criminal blunder under the 
circumstances, for not only was much precious time lost 
but the continued rain rendered the roads so soft that 
further movement with his artillery and baggage train 
was well nigh impossible. As a result he was obliged to 
abandon most of his tents and camp equipage, which, by 
the way proved a most acceptable contribution to the 
comfort of the Americans, who promptly appropriated 
such as were not too badly damaged by the fire set by 
Burgoyne's orders. 

During this interval of twelve hours the British army 
was strung along from within a mile of Saratoga to 
below Coveville, General Riedesel in charge of the 
advance and General Phillips bringing up the rear. 

Woes of the Bateaumen 

Burgoyne's bateaumen on their retreat up river were 
greatly annoyed by the American militiamen, who posted 
themselves along the bank to waylay them. An interest- 



124 ^-f^^ STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

ing- writer who, as a boy, native to this locality, followed 
up Gates' army after the battles "to see what was going 
on," relates the following incident in this connection : "A 
few bateaux and scows were passing along as I arrived 
— they were loaded .with military stores, the baggage of 
the officers, and the women who followed their 'soger 
laddies.' A few well directed shots brought them to the 
bank. A rush took place for the prey. Everything was 
hauled out and carried back into a low swampy place in 
the rear, and a guard placed over it. When the plunder 
was divided among the captors, the poor females, trem- 
bling with fear, were released and permitted to go off in 
a boat to the British army, a short distance above. Such 
a collection of tanned and leathern visages was never 
before seen. Poorly clad, their garments ragged, and 
their persons war-worn and weary, those women'^^ were 
objects of my sincere pity.'"'^a 

Lady Ackland's Adventure 

While Burgoyne was delaying at Dovegat, there 
occurred one of those incidents which display in the most 
engaging light the heroic fortitude of womankind under 
the most trying conditions, particularly in cases where 
her affections are involved. The heroine on this occasion 
was the Lady Harriet Ackland, before mentioned, wife 
of Major John Dyke Ackland, of the grenadiers. She 
had already nursed him back to health in a miserable hut 
at Chambly, in Canada, and afterward when she heard 
that he was wounded at the battle of Hubbardton, Vt., 
she, contrary to his injunctions, came up the lake to 



'^^ There were over 300 women connected with Burgoyne's army. — Hod- 
den's Journal, p. 81. 
''^a. The Sexagenary. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 125 

Skenesboroitgh (Whitehall) with the determination not 
to leave him again. From there she sliared his tent 
through all the vicissitudes of the campaign. Judge then 
of her state of mind when word was brought from the 
field that her husband was mortally wounded and-a pris- 
oner in the hands of the Americans. After spending two 
nights and a day in an agony of suspense, she resolved to 
ask General Burgoyne for permission to go over to the 
enemy's camp to seek out and care for her husband. She 
was urged to this step also by the Baroness Riedesel. Bur- 
goyne was astounded by such a request from a woman 
of her quality at such a time, and especially as she was 
then in a most delicate condition. Finally he yielded to 
her importunities, furnished her with a boat and crew, 
and allowed the chaplain Brudenell'^'^ — he of the steady 
nerves — and her husband's valet, to accompany her, and 
then armed with a letter of commendation from Bur- 
goyne to Gates, she set out in the edge of evening, during 
a storm of wind and rain, on her venturesome trip. She 
reached the American advanced pickets about ten o'clock, 
and being hailed, went ashore, where she was courteously 
received and hospitably lodged for the night by Major 
Dearborn, who was able to relieve her mind with the 
assurance that her husband was in a most comfortable 
and hopeful condition. In the morning she passed on 
down the river to Bemis Heights, where she was met and 
most graciously received by General Gates, whence she 
was taken to her husband, who was lodged in the roomy 
tent of one Joseph Bird. General Burgoyne's letter to 



''^ The Rev. Edward Brudenell, chaplain to the artillery, was nearly lost 
in a man-of-war's barge while coming over Lake George, July 27th, in one 
of those sudden squalls so common on that sheet of water. — Hadden's Jour- 
nal, p. 106. 



126 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Gates in her behalf, though written in haste and on a 
piece of dirty wet paper, has ever been regarded as a 
model of gracefulness and point in epistolary literature. 
Here it is : 

"Sir: 

Lady Harriet Ackland, a Lady of the first distinction 
by family, rank, and by personal virtues, is under 
such concern on account of Major Ackland, her husband, 
wounded and a prisoner in your hands, that I cannot 
refuse her request to commit her to your protection. 

Whatever general impropriety there may be in per- 
sons acting in your situation and mine to solicit favors, 
I cannot see the uncommon perseverence in every female 
grace, and exaltation of character of this Lady, and her 
very hard fortune, without testifying that your atten- 
tions to her will lay me under obligation. 

I am. Sir, 

Your obedient servant, 

^ , , T. BURGOYNE. 

October p, -Z"///. 

Major General Gates." 

Fellows Anticipates Burgoyne's Retreat to 
Saratoga 

General Gates, in anticipation of an early retreat on the 
part of Burgoyne, had sent forward General Fellows, 
before the battle of the 7th, with thirteen hundred men 
to occupy the heights of Saratoga, north of Fish creek 
(whereon Schuylerville stands) to waylay stragglers and 
dispute the passage of the creek with any advanced 
parties of the enemy that might be sent forward. The 
day after the battle the Americans discovering signs that 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



127 



the British were preparing to decamp, Gates sent two 
messengers, one on each side of the river, to apprise Fel- 
lows of the probable movement and order him to recross 
the Hudson and defend the ford. This ford was located 
at the upper end of the island over which the Schuyler- 
ville and Greenwich highway bridge now passes. Before 
this notice reached him General Fellows had a narrow 
escape from surprise and possible capture. 

On the night of the 8th, and some hours before his 
army started, Burgoyne had sent forward Lieutenant 
Colonel Sutherland with a scout to make observations. 
He discovered Fellows' situation, and guided by the fires, 
he completely encircled his camp without once being 
challenged. He hastened back and begged Burgoyne to 
allow him to go on with his regiment and attack him, 
assuring him that since they lay there unguarded he 
could capture the whole body. Burgoyne refused per- 
emptorily; but had he permitted it, in all probability, 
Sutherland would have succeeded. The reasons for 
the refusal were probably, first, because he had no men 
to lose, and secondly, he had neither place nor provender 
for so large a body had they been captured. 

At four o'clock P. M. on the 9th, the British army was 
again set in motion, and wading the now swollen Fish 
creek, bivouacked wet, shivering and hungry, without 
tents or covering, on the cold wet ground. They were 
over just in time to see the rear of General Fellows' 
detachment ascend the eastern bank of the Hudson pre- 
pared to bar their passage that way and to take possession 
of their old camp north of the Battenkill. Previous to 
his withdrawal across the Hudson, Fellows destroyed 
the bridge over Fish creek.'^'^ 

'''' Digby's Journal, p. 297. 



128 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Burgoyne did not forget to make himself very com- 
fortable that night, though his men were most miserable. 
He remained on the south side of the creek and occupied 
the Schuyler mansion, retaining Hamilton's brigade as 
a body guard. The officers with their men slept on the 
cold, wet ground, with nothing to protect them but 
oil-cloth. Nor did the wives of the officers fare any 
better. 

Discomforts of the Ladies 

Supposing that Burgoyne's advance to Albany would 
be little else than a triumphal march, with but feeble 
opposition to overcome, these fine ladies, with adventur- 
ous spirit, had come along to enjoy a novel excursion and 
picnic, and, incidentally, to select for themselves a fine 
mansion from the estates sure to be confiscated from the 
rebels. Among these were Lady Ackland, as we have 
seen, and the Baroness Riedesel, wife of the General 
(pronounced Re-day-zel ; the British soldiers called him 
Red-hazel), a woman of rare culture, intellectual force, 
and vivacity of spirit, and withal possessed of unusual 
literary ability. Colonel Wilkinson, Gates' adjutant 
general, speaks of her as "the amiable, the accom- 
plished and dignified baroness." She was accom- 
panied by her children, three little girls. Of her 
experiences on this particular night she writes : 
"Toward evening, we at last came to Saratoga, which 
was only half an hour's march from the place where we 
had spent the whole day. I was wet through and through 
by the frequent rains, and was obliged to remain in this 
condition the entire night, as I had no place whatever 
where I could change my linen. I, therefore, seated my- 
self before a good fire, and undressed my children; 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 129 

after which, we laid ourselves down together upon some 
straw. I asked General Phillips, who came up to where 
we were, why we did not continue our retreat while there 
was yet time, as my husband had pledged himself to cover 
it, and bring the army through? 'Poor woman,' ans- 
wered he, 'I am amazed at you ! completely wet through, 
have you still the courage to wish to go further in this 
weather? Would that you were only our commanding 
general ! He halts because he is tired, and intends to 
spend the night here, and give us a supper.' In this latter 
achievement, especially. General Burgoyne was very fond 
of indulging. He spent half the nights in singing and 
drinking, and amusing himself with the wife of a com- 
missary, who was his mistress, and who as well as he, 
loved champagne." 

The Marshall House Cannonaded 

Early in the morning of October 8th, General Gates, 
expecting that Burgoyne would retreat, had ordered 
General Bailey, with 900 New Hampshire troops, to cross 
the Hudson and hasten to the aid of General Fellows, 
opposite Saratoga. Captain Furnival was ordered to fol- 
low with his battery. The same evening they were 
reinforced by a Massachusetts regiment under Colonel 
Moseley. On the evening of the 9th Captain Furnival 
was ordered to cross the Battenkill and erect some earth- 
works. This battery was placed on the hills north of 
Clark's Mills, and was erected during the night of the 
9th of October. '^^ General Matoon, then a lieutenant of 



''SMr. Hiram Clark, of Clark's Mills, told the writer that he could 
remember the remnants of that work. It consisted of two lengths of heavy 
timbers, locked together at one end, placed at an obtuse angle, and filled in 
with dirt behind. 



I30 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



this company, relates that on the morning of the loth, 
''seeing a number of ofhcers on the steps of a house [The 
Marshall house] opposite, on a hill a little north of the 
mouth of the Battenkill surveying our works, we opened 
fire on them. I leveled our guns and with such effect as 
to disperse them. We took the house to be their head- 
quarters. We continued our fire till a nine or twelve 
pounder was brought to bear on us, and rendered our 
works untenable." 

This battery, in company with a Massachusetts regi- 
ment, was then ordered to Fort Edward to defend the 
fording place there, which they did effectually till recalled 
on the 14th, after the armistice was declared.'^^ There 
was no more cannonading from this hill during the siege 
of Burgoyne. 

On the loth the force of General Fellows on the east 
side of the Hudson was augmented to three thousand, 
made up of New Hampshire and Massachusetts troops, 
chiefly militia. 



CHAPTER XV 

The Siege 

Burgoyne waded Fish creek the morning of the loth, 
dragged across his heavy artillery, and seeing that it was 
J10W too late to cross the river at the Battenkill, took up 
the positions he had determined upon on the 14th of Sep- 
tember previous, in case of an attack at that time. He 
erected a fortified camp on Prospect Hill, or the heights 



T9 Burgoyne's Campaign, by W. L. Stone, p. 376. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 131 

of Saratoga, as it was then called. This camp began 
north of the house of Counsellor William S. Ostrander, 
,and embraced Prospect Hill Cemetery, also the land 
between the cemetery and the terrace east of 
George M. Watson's orchard and extended south 
into the Victory woods. Part of the 20th, and 
six companies of the 47th regiment, with the Ger- 
man grenadiers and Berner's battalion, had their 
camp on the flat where Green and Pearl streets now 
run and north of Burgoyne street. The German Yagers 
(riflemen) and Canadians camped each side of the Sara- 
toga road on the flat or terrace above the Fitchburg R. R. 
station. The balance of the 20th British regiment, and 
the Germans under Riedesel, occupied the ground north 
of Spring street, bounded on the east by Broadway and 
on the west by a line running north from Dr. Webster's 
house and reaching toward the Marshall house. The 
artillery was parked on the spur of high ground east of 
Broadway and on the continuation of Spring street, now 
called Seeleyville. 

The same day (the loth) Burgoyne sent forward two 
regiments under Lieutenant Colonel Sutherland to recon- 
noiter the road on the west side toward Fort Edward and 
to repair the bridges. This detachment got within an 
hour's march of Fort Edward, and was preparing to 
mend the chief bridge, when the officer received orders to 
return. This was because Burgoyne had been apprised 
of an attack by the Americans.®" 

Gates' Tardy Pursuit 

Through some mismanagement in the commissary 



Burgoyne's State of the Expedition, p. 55. Edition of 1780. 



132 ThlE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

department, Gates could not immediately follow up the 
advantage which the victory of the 7th gave him. In con- 
sequence of this, his main body was not ready for the 
pursuit till about noon of the loth. Colonel Wilkinson 
in his "Memoirs" says : "It rained and the army did not 
march until the afternoon; our front reached Saratoga 
about four o'clock, where we discovered the British army 
encamped on the heights beyond the Fish creek. General 
Fellows' corps on the opposite bank of the river, and the 
bateaux of the enemy at the mouth of the creek, with a 
fatigue party busily employed unloading and conveying 
their contents across the plain to the heights. The com- 
manding officer of artillery. Major Stevens, ready to 
improve every advantage, ran a couple of light pieces 
down on the plain near the river, and opened a battery 
upon the bateaux and working party at the landing, 
which soon dispersed it ; but he drew the fire of the 
enemy's whole park upon him from the heights, which 
obliged him to retire after the loss of a tumbrel, [ammu- 
nition cart], which was blown up by a shot from the 
enemy, and caused a shout from the whole British 
army." 

"The army took a position in the wood on the heights 
in several lines, their right resting on the brow of the hill, 
about a mile in the rear of the Fish creek. Colonel Mor- 
gan being in front and near the church."^^ 

The same authority says that Gates appropriated a 
small hovel about ten feet square with a dirt floor for his 
headquarters. It was located at the foot of a hill, along 
the road somethins- over a mile south of Fish creek. It 



*i Wilkinson's Memoirs. Vol. I. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 133 

was probably the older portion of what is now the Edward 
Dwyer house. ^^ 

After Gates had posted his army south of the creek, 
Burgoyne ordered the Schuyler mansion with the mills 
and other outbuildings, to be set on fire. These with their 
contents were valued at $50,000. 

Gates'" Abortive Attack 

That same evening (the loth) word came to Gates that 
Burgoyne had gone on toward Fort Edward, and that 
only a guard was left behind with the baggage. His 
informant had mistaken the two regiments sent ahead for 
the whole army. Gates at once issued orders for the 
entire force to cross the creek in the morning and assault 
the British camp under cover of the fog, which usually 
rises from the river and remains till after sunrise at that 
season of the year. 



^^ Benson J. Lossing, in his Field Book of the Revolution, asserts that 
what is now (1900) the Edward Dwyer house was Gates' headquarters. He 
gives a cut of the house and then adds this: "It is of wood and has been 
enlarged since the Revolution. It was used by General Gates for his 
quarters from the loth of October until after the surrender of Bur- 
goyne, on the 17th. It belonged to a Widow Kershaw, and General Gates 
amply compensated her for all he had, on leaving it." 

Lossing got his information from Walter Van Veghten, in 1848. Walter 
was a son of Col. Van Veghten, of Revolutionary fame, and succeeded to 
the old homestead at Coveville. Despite Wilkinson's statement, several 
facts make Van Veghten's assertion altogether probable. It is the uniform 
testimony of other writers that at the time of the surrender, Gates had his 
quarters much nearer the front. This would indicate that he must have 
moved up after negotiations had opened to avoid loss of time in transmis- 
sion of dispatches. Since Wilkinson does not mention this removal, which 
must have occurred, it is quite probable that he in writing his Memoirs 
some years later, got the two places mixed in his mind, and in his story 
transferred the "hovel" down to where the house stands, which, according 
to Lossing, was but a small affair at the time. Walter Van Veghten was 
in a position to know the facts, and being an intelligent and also a prom- 
inent citizen, was not liable to be in error as to such a matter. 



134 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Burgoyne in some way received notice of this proposed 
assault and posted his men to the best advantage to 
receive it. 

Agreeable to orders, Morgan crossed the creek at 
Victory Mills, below the old dam at the stone bridge, 
and advancing through the fog soon fell in with a British 
picket, which fired and cut down a lieutenant and two 
privates. This led him to think that there must be some 
mistake about the retreat of the British, which misgiving 
he reported to Colonel Wilkinson, who came up at this 
moment. As a result Generals Learned and Patterson 
were sent to his support with their brigades. 

Wilkinson then hastening down to the right, learned 
from a deserter, and from a squad of thirty-five of the 
enemy just captured, that Burgoyne had not retreated, 
but was posted and waiting the American attack. At 
once he dispatched an aide to Gates with the message : 
''Tell the General, that his own fame and the interests 
of the cause are at hazard ; that his presence is necessary 
with the troops." But in obedience to orders, Nixon's 
and part of Glover's brigades had forded the creek and 
were deploying for action ; Captain Nathan Goodale,^^ of 
Putnam's regiment, swung to the right and captured a 
party of sixty men at the mouth of the creek and also the 
bateaux they were guarding. Suddenly the fog lifted 
and disclosed to their astonished gaze the whole British 
army drawn up and ready to give them a fiery greeting. 
They at once opened with musketry and cannon upon the 

*2 This Capt. Nathan Goodale was one of the most efficient of Gates' 
scouts. He gave Gates the first reliable information concerning the situ- 
ation of Burgoyne's army during its advance as it lay along the river oppo- 
site and above Saratoga. Before the surrender of the British army, no less 
than 121 prisoners fell into his hand. In 1899 a descendant of Captain 
Goodale erected a tablet to his memory on Prospect Hill, near the monu- 
ment. He was killed by the Indians, in Ohio, in 1790. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



135 



Americans who, realizing their ugly situation at a glance, 
broke for the south side of the creek, without much 
regard as to the order of their going. 

Wilkinson fearing that the left might be badly 
entrapped, hastened up and found Morgan and Learned 
within two hundred yards of Burgoyne's strongest posi- 
tion on Prospect Hill, and just entering ground which 
had been cleared by the enemy in front of their works. 
He found Learned near the center and begged him to 
halt, which he did. Wilkinson said to him (quoting 
from his Memoirs), "You must retreat. Learned asked 
me 'have you orders?' I answered,. 'I have not, as 
the exigency of the case did not allow me time to 
see General Gates.' He observed, 'Our brethren are 
engaged on the right, and the standing order is to attack/ 
I informed him 'our troops on the right have retired, and 
the fire you hear is from the enemy;' and, I added, 
'although I have no orders for your retreat, I pledge my 
life for the General's approbation.'" Several field officers 
coming up and approving the proposition, the order for 
the retreat was given. They were hardly turned when 
the British, who had been quietly awaiting the assault, 
fired a volley and killed several men, among whom was 
an officer. 

Thus Gates got out of a tight place, and escaped dire 
disaster, by a very narrow margin. Had he been the 
great general that his friends pictured him, he would 
not have ordered such an attack without knowing for a 
certainty whether the main body of his enemy had 
decamped or not. For this escape, as for his victories. 
Gates could thank his subordinates. He never allowed 
his sacred person to be seen along danger lines if he 
could avoid it. Only once during the Revolution was he 



136 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

under fire, at Camden, S. C, and then he beat the record 
in getting away ; for he made two hundred miles on 
horseback in three days. 

Burgoyne had hoped great things from this move on 
the part of Gates, feehng sure that he could annihilate 
the assaulting force, but was sorely disappointed at the 
outcome. He described it as ''one of the most adverse 
strokes of fortune during the campaign." 

Gates Decides Upon a Regulation Siege 

Gates now decided to starve Burgoyne into a surrender 
by siege, rather than compel him by force of arms as 
some of his officers urged, thus avoiding much blood- 
shed. He at once took steps to make sure of his prey by 
completing his lines of circumvallation. Morgan and his 
Virginians, Learned's brigade, and a Pennsylvania force 
occupied the high ground to the west of. Burgoyne. Their 
lines stretched from the creek, up back of the Victory 
school house, through the French burying ground, in the 
rear of the house now owned and occupied by Mr. David 
H. Craw, and along the elevated ridge to the north. The 
east side of the river was held by New Hampshire, Mass- 
achusetts and Connecticut troops, while New York, New 
England and New Jersey held the south. New Hamp- 
shire and Vermont, under the redoubtable Stark, a day or 
two later filled the gap to the north, and so practically 
corked the bottle. Thus New England, the Middle and 
Southern States were all represented at that crucial 
moment in our national history, and all very appropriately 
had a share in the decisive stroke that determined the 
severance of these colonies from the mother country, and 
assured their independence. 




COLONKI, MORGAN 



138 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

But as late as the 12th there was still a chance for Bur- 
goyne to escape. There was an opening northward u. 
the west side of the river, as it had not yet been occupied 
by our people. He called a council of his generals, laid 
the situation before them, and asked their advice. Riede- 
sel strongly urged that they should leave artillery and 
baggage behind, and, thus lightened, attempt to escape 
by avoiding Fort Edward, now held by the Americans, 
cross four miles above, and strike for Ticonderoga 
through the woods on the west of Lake George. Orders 
were at once issued to move out that night if the provis- 
ions could be distributed by ten or eleven o'clock. Pre- 
cisely at ten o'clock Riedesel notified Burgoyne that the 
provisions had been distributed, and everything was 
ready, when he and all the rest were astounded to receive 
orders to stay where they were, as it was now too late. 
What decided him that it was "too late" is not known. But 
when the morning broke, sure enough, it was too late; 
for during the night Stark and his men had crossed the 
river just above the mouth of the Battenkill on rafts, occu- 
pied the gap and erected a battery on a hill, (probably the 
bare one back of Mr. D. A. Bullard's farm buildings). 
This was the springing of "the trap," about which General 
Riedesel had talked, the corking of the bottle which 
sealed the fate of the British army. 

They were now completely surrounded. Gates had 
thrown a floating bridge across the Hudson below Fish 
creek. The approach to this bridge was just below the 
mouth of the deep ditch that runs east from Chubb's 
bridge. This gave easy communication with Fellows to 
the east; and on this with the raft just built above, 
Gates could pass in safety all around his foe, if he dared. 

The Americans now made it very warm for the Britons. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 139 

Fellows' batteries on the bluffs, east of the river, were 
echoed by Gates' from the heights south of Victory, and 
then the new battery on the hill to the north bellowed 
Amen ! we are with you ! while Morgan's sharpshooters 
to the west, and the Yankee marksmen everywhere else 
popped at any hostile head that dared show itself from 
behind a tree, or above the breastworks. All this, with 
the answering thunder of Burgoyne's heavy artillery, 
must have made terrific music, such as these Saratoga 
hills never heard before nor since. 

Woes of the Besieged 

The experiences of those shut within this fiery and 
thunderous arena whereon Schuylerville now stands, 
must have been appalling beyond description. There 
were but few places of safety except behind trees, in a few 
hollows, or immediately behind breastworks. Hundreds 
of dead horses and oxen lay everywhere, which had been 
killed by cannon or musket shots, or which had died from 
starvation. Without hospital tents or any hospital con- 
veniences, the sick and wounded soldiers would drag 
themselves to some sheltered spot and there breathe out 
their lives in agony on the cold, damp ground. There 
were but few places where the surgeons could dress the 
wounds without being interrupted by cannon shot drop- 
ping or crashing through the trees. Fellows' battery on 
the bluff's opposite Schuylerville was especially annoying 
to the British, and they were unable to silence it. It was 
from thence that the Marshall house was chiefly cannon- 
ade.d f*" from there the shot was fired that carried off the 
ham from Burgoyne's table, and so broke up one of his 

** See Baroness Riedesel's account, which immediately follows. 



I40 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

dinner parties,^"' and from thence the cannon ball came 
that lodged in an oak tree by the side of which General 
Btirgoyne was standing.*'' No soldier dare lay aside his 
arms even to sleep. There was constant firing on the picket 
lines, and the men on duty there hardly dared show them- 
selves from behind a tree, or their heads above a rifle pit, 
lest a whistling bullet should perforate him. And though 
there were rivers of water all about, yet for those 
beleaguered Britons there was hardly a drop to drink. 
A few springs and the rivulets running down the hills 
could not supply the needs of six thousand men with their 
horses and cattle. Any man who attempted to reach the 
creek or river became a mark for a dozen rifles. Some of 
the wives of the common soldiers risked a trip to the 
river with their buckets for water, and found the Ameri- 
cans too chivalrous to harm a woman. And, by the way, 
there were no braver hearts in that army than beat in the 
breasts of those women. Baroness de Riedesel tells of 
one who supplied the occupants of the Marshall house, 
and how they rewarded her. 

Baroness Riedesel Relates Her Experiences 

The account given by that most estimable lady of her 
experiences in the Marshall house are of so interesting 
and thrilling a character that we would wrong our readers 
not to allow her to tell them her own story. She proved 
herself to be a veritable angel of mercy to those poor 
officers and men, yes a forerunner of Florence Nightin- 
gale and Clara Barton. She wn-ites : 

"About two o'clock in the afternoon [of the lotli], the 
firing of cannon and small arms was again heard, and 



Burgoyne's State of the Expedition. Edition of 1780, p. 55. 
Digby's Journal, p. 304. 




THE BARONESS RIEDESEL 



142 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

all was alarm and confusion. My husband sent me a 
message telling me to betake myself forthwith into a 
house not far from there. I seated myself in the calash 
with my children, and had scarcely driven up to the house 
when I saw on the opposite side of the Hudson river five 
or six men with guns, which were aimed at us. Almost 
involuntarily I threw the children on the bottom of the 
calash and myself over them. At the same instant the 
churls fired, and shattered the arm of a poor English 
soldier behind us, who was already wounded and was 
also retreating into the house. Immediately after our 
arrival a frightful cannonade began, principally directed 
against the house in which we had sought shelter, proba- 
bly because the enemy believed, from seeing so many peo- 
ple flocking around it, that all the generals made it their 
headquarters." Alas! it harbored none but wounded 
soldiers, or women ! We were finally obliged to take 
refuge in a cellar, in which I laid myself down in a corner 
not far from the door. My children lay down on the 
earth with their heads upon my lap, and in this manner 
we passed the entire night. A horrible stench, the cries 
of the children, and yet more than all this, my own 
anguish, prevented me from closing my eyes. On the 
following morning [the iith], the cannonade again 
began, but on a different side.^^ I advised all to go out 
of the cellar for a little while, during which time I would 
have it cleaned, as otherwise we would all be sick. They 
followed my suggestion, and I at once set many hands 
to work, which was in the highest degree necessary ; for 
the women and children being afraid to venture forth. 



*'' This was from Furnival's battery, north of the Battenkill. 
^ This was from Fellow's battery, opposite Schuylerville and south of 
the Battenkill. Furnival's battery had been ordered to Fort Edward. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 143 

had soiled the whole cellar. After they had all gone out 
and left me alone, I for the first time surveyed our place 
of refuge. It consisted of three beautiful cellars, splen- 
didly arched. I proposed that the most dangerously 
wounded of the officers should be brought into one of 
them ; that the women should remain in another ; and 
that all the rest should stay in the third, which was near- 
est the entrance. I had just given the cellars a good 
sweeping, and had fumigated them by sprinkling vinegar 
on burning coals, and each one had found his place pre- 
pared for him — when a fresh and terrible cannonade 
threw us all once more into alarm. Many persons, who 
had no right to come in, threw themselves against the 
door. My children were already under the cellar steps, 
and we would all have been crushed, if God had not given 
me strength to place myself before the door, and with 
extended arms prevent all from coming in ; otherwise 
every one of us would have been severely injured. Eleven 
cannon balls went through the house, and we could 
plainly hear them rolling over our heads. One poor sol- 
dier, [a British surgeon by the name of Jones], whose 
leg they were about to amputate, having been laid upon 
a table for this purpose, had the other leg taken off by an- 
other cannon ball, in the midst of the operation. His com- 
rades all ran off, and when they again came back they found 
him in one corner of the room, where he had rolled in his 
anguish, scarcely breathing. I was more dead than alive, 
though not so much on account of our own danger, as for 
that which enveloped my husband, who, however, fre- 
quently sent to see how I was getting along, and to tell 
me that he was still safe. 

"The wife of Major Harnage, a Madam Reynels, the 
wife of the good lieutenant who the day previous had so 



144 ^^^ STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

kindly shared his broth with me, the wife of a commis- 
sary, and myself, were the only ladies who were with the 
army.^*' We sat together bewailing our fate, when one 
came in, upon which they all began whispering, looking 
at the same time exceedingly sad. I noticed this, and 
also that they cast silent glances toward me. This 
awakened in my mind the dreadful thought that my hus- 
band had been killed. I shrieked aloud, but they assured 
me that this was not so, at the same time intimating to 
me by signs, that it was the lieutenant — the husband of 
our companion — who had met with misfortune. A 
moment after she was called out. Her husband was not 
yet dead, but a cannon ball had taken off his arm close to 
the shoulder. During the whole night we heard his 
moans, which resounded fearfully through the vaulted 
cellars. The poor man died toward morning. We spent 
the remainder of this night as the former ones. In the 
meantime my husband came to visit me, which lightened 
my anxiety and gave me fresh courage. On the follow- 
ing morning [the 12th], however, we got things better 
regulated. Major Harnage, his wife, and Mrs. Reynels 
made a little room in a corner, by hanging curtains from 
the ceiling. They wished to fix up for me another corner 
in the same manner, but I preferred to remain near the 
door, so that in case of fire I could rush out from the 
room. I had some straw brought in and laid my bed upon 
it, where I slept with my children — my maids sleeping 
not far from us. Directly opposite us three English 
officers were quartered — wounded it is true, but, never- 
theless resolved not to be left behind in case of a retreat. 
One of these was Captain Green, aide-de-camp of General 
Phillips, a very valuable and agreeable man. All three 

*' Seventy soldiers brought their wives with them also. 



146 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

assured me, upon their oaths, that in case of a hasty 
retreat, they would not leave me, but would each take 
one of my children upon his horse. For myself one of my 
husband's horses constantly stood saddled and in readi- 
ness. Often my husband wished to withdraw me from 
danger, by sending me to the Americans ; but I remon- 
strated with him on the ground that to be with people 
whom I Avould be obliged to treat with courtesy, while 
perhaps, my husband was being killed by them, would 
be even yet more painful than all I was now suffering. 
He promised me, therefore, that I should henceforward 
follow the army. ' Nevertheless, I was often in the night 
filled with anxiety lest he should march away. At such 
times I have crept out of my cellar to reassure myself, 
and if I saw the troops lying around the fires, (for the 
nights were already cold), I would return and sleep quiet- 
ly. On the third day, I found an opportunity for the first 
time to change my linen, as my companions had the cour- 
tesy to give up to me a little corner; the three wounded 
officers meanwhile standing guard not far off. 

"Our cook saw to our meals, but we were in want of 
water ; and in order to cjuench our thirst, I was often 
obliged to drink wine, and give it also to the children. 
The continued danger in which my husband was encom- 
passed, was a constant source of anxiety to me. I was the 
only one of all the women whose husband had not been 
killed or wounded, and I often said to myself — 'shall I 
be the only fortunate one?' 

"As the great scarcity of water continued, we at last 
found a soldier's wife who had the courage to bring water 
from the river, for no one else would undertake it, as the 
enemy shot at every man who approached the river. This 
woman, however, they never molested : and they told 



n 
1-3 -3 

< CO 



« .2 



148 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

us afterward that they spared her on account of 
her sex. 

"I endeavored to divert my mind from my troubles, 
by constantly busying myself with the wounded. I made 
them tea and coffee, and received in return a thousand 
benedictions. Often, also, I shared my noon day meal 
with them. One day a Canadian officer came into our 
cellar who could scarcely stand up. We at last got it out 
of him that he was almost dead with hunger. I con- 
sidered myself very fortunate to have it in my power to 
offer him my mess. This gave him renewed strength, 
and gained for me his friendship. One of our greatest 
annoyances was the stench of the wounds when they 
began to suppurate. 

"One day I undertook the care of Major Bloomfield, 
adjutant to General Phillips, through both of whose 
cheeks a small musket baU had passed, shattering his 
teeth and grazing his tongue. He could hold nothing 
whatever in his mouth. The matter from the wound 
almost choked him, and he was unable to take any other 
nourishment except a little broth, or something liquid. 
We had Rhine wine. I gave him a bottle of it, in hopes 
that the acidity of the wine would cleanse his wound. 
He kept some continually in his mouth ; and that alone 
acted so beneficially that he became cured, and I again 
acquired one more friend. 

"In this horrible situation we remained six days. 
Finally, they spoke of capitulating, as by temporizing for 
so long a time, our retreat had been cut off. A cessation 
of hostilities took place, and my husband, who was 
thoroughly worn out, w^as able for the first time in a long 
while to lie down upon a bed. 

"On the 17th of October the capitulation was consum- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA ' 149 

mated. Now the good woman who had brought us 
water at the risk of her hfe, received the reward of her 
services. Everyone threw a handful of money into her 
apron, and she received altogether over twenty guineas. 
At such a moment the heart seems to be specially suscep- 
tible of gratitude." 

CHAPTER XVI 

The Capitulatiox. — Burgoyne Summoj^s Council 
OF War 

Burgoyne knowing himself to be surrounded by over- 
whelming numbers ; for the American militia had been 
pouring in from everywhere since the battles ; called a 
council of war on the 13th, laid the situation before it, 
and inquired if in its opinion a proposition to surrender 
would be warranted by precedent, and would it be hon- 
orable. The council agreed that surrender was the wisest 
course. They were doubtless urged to this conclusion by 
a forceful argument in the shape of a cannon ball that 
swept across the table about which they were sitting. 

Accordingly General Burgoyne sent a flag of truce 
asking if Gates would receive a "field officer from him, 
on a matter of high moment to both armies." Gates 
replied that he would receive such an officer at 10 o'clock 
the next morning, the 14th. Major Robert Kingston, of 
Burgoyne's staff, was selected to bear the message to 
Gates. The next morning at the appointed hour King- 
ston descended the hill, and, crossing the creek on some 
sleepers of the bridge that had been left, was met there 
by Colonel Wilkinson, who represented Gates, and who, 
after blindfolding him. conducted him on foot down to 
headquarters, over a mile away. 



15° 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



BuRGOYNE Sues for ax Armistice 



Through him Burgoyne asked for a cessation of hos- 
tihties while terms might be arranged for an honorable 
surrender. General Gates sent back the terms on which 
he would accept the surrender of the British army, and 
granted a cessation of hosiilities during the negotiations. 
Gates' terms seemed to offend the pride of Burgoyne and 
his generals, who thereupon refused point blank to treat 
upon such conditions. The offensive articles were, first : 
that the British should surrender as prisoners of war ; 
and, second : that tliey should lay down their arms 
within their intrenchments at the command of their adju- 
tant general. 

At sunset Burgoyne returned Gates' propositions with 
the answer that he and his army would die to a man 
rather than submit to conditions involving such humilia- 
tion. Along with this answer he presented the terms on 
which he would consent to a surrender. Gates, evidently 
frightened by the news just received that Sir Henry 
Clinton had broken through the obstructions and had 
passed the forts in the Highlands ; that he had destroyed 
Kingston, and was advancing upon Albany, tamely 
accepted Burgoyne's proposals, and thus allowed the 
British general to dictate his own terms. 

Terms of Surrender Agreed Upon 

But before an}^ treaty could be signed, there were 
several subordinate questions and items which must 
be settled ; for this purpose two men from each side 
Avere selected, at P3urgoyne's suggestion, who were to 
meet at some convenient place, to be selected, to 
arrange the final terms. A tent was pitched upon 
the bluff, just south of the Horicon mill, where the 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 151 

representatives met and, after due discussion, signed 
and exchanged the articles of capitulation, and more- 
over agreed when they separated, at 8 P. M. of the 15th, 
that their respective chiefs should sign and exchange 
in the morning. Burgoyne expressed himself as well 
pleased with everything, but objected to calling the 
instrument a "treaty of capitulation ;" he would term 
it a TREATY OF CONVENTION. To this also Gates agreed. 
During the night of the 15th, a spy managed to get 
through to the British camp with the news that Clin- 
ton was on the way with relief, and was now nearing 
Albany. Burgoyne saAv here a ray of hope, and the 
next morning called another general council of his 
officers, told them what he had heard, and asked 
Avhether in their opinion he would be justified, under 
the circumstances, in repudiating his agreement with 
the American General. The majority decided that the 
public faith had been pledged, and therefore voted 
that it would be dishonorable to abrogate the treaty. 
However, instead of signing the Convention, as he 
had agreed, he sent Gates an evasive letter, in which 
he charged him with having reduced his army since 
negotiations were opened, and asked that two of his 
officers might be permitted to inspect his army, that 
he might know if it was as large as reported. Gates 
was evidently nettled by the rudeness and impudence 
of the request, but sent Wilkinson to allay Burgoyne's 
apprehensions. This parley was spun out to such a 
length that finally Gates got impatient, drew up his 
army, and sent Burgoyne word that he must either 
sign or fight. Burgoyne, urged by his generals, came 
down from his perch, on Prospect Hill, signed the 
Convention and sent it over to Gates in proper form. 



152 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 





ELM TREE UNDER WHICH BURGOYNE SIGNED THE CONVENTION 

Articles of Convention 

The instrument as finally agreed to and executed 
is herewith subjoined. 

Articles of Convention between Lieutenant-General Burgoyne 
,and Major-General Gates. 



I. 

"The troops under Lieutenant-General Burgoyne, to march out 
of their camp with the honors of war, and the artillery of the 
intrenchments, to the verge of the river where the old fort stood, 
where the arms and artillery are to be left ; the arms are to be piled 
bv word of command from their own officers." 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 153 

11. 

"A free passage to be granted to the army under Lieutenant- 
General Burgoyne to Great Britain, on condition of not serving 
again in North America during the present contest; and the 
port of Boston is assigned for the entry of transports to receive 
the troops whenever General Howe shall so order." 

III. 

"Should any cartel take place, by which the army under Gen- 
eral Burgoyne, or any part of it, may be exchanged, the forego- 
ing article to be void as far as such exchange shall be made." 

IV. 

"The army under Lieutenant-General Burgoyne, to march to 
Massachusetts Bay, by the easiest, most expeditious and con- 
venient route; and to be quartered in, near, or as convenient as 
possible to Boston, that the march of the troops may not be 
delayed when transports arrive to receive them." 

V. 

"The troops to be supplied on their march, and during their 
being in quarters, with provisions by General Gates' orders at the 
same rate of rations as the troops of his own army; and if pos- 
sible, the ofificers' horses and cattle are to be supplied with for- 
age at the usual rates." 

VI. 

"All officers to retain their carriages, batt-horses and other 
cattle, and no baggage to be molested or searched ; Lieutenant- 
General Burgoyne giving his honor that there are no public 
stores secreted therein. Major-General Gates will, of course, 
take the necessary measures for the due performance of this 
article. Should any carriages be wanted during the march for 
the transportation of officers' baggage, they are, if possible, to 
be supplied by the country at the usual rates." 



154 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

VII. 

"Upon the march, and during the time the army shall remain 
in quarters in Massachusetts Bay, the officers are not, as far as 
•circumstances will admit, to be separated from their men. The 
officers are to be quartered according to rank, and are not to be 
hindered from assembling their men for roll call, and other neces- 
sary purposes of regularity." 

VIII. 
"All corps whatever, of General Burg03'ne"s army, whether com- 
posed of sailors, bateaumen, artificers, drivers, independent com- 
panies, and followers of the army, of whatever country, shall 
be included in the fullest sense and utmost extent of the above 
articles, and comprehended in every respect as British subjects.*^ 

IX. 

"All Canadians and persons belonging to the Canadian estab- 
lishment, consisting of sailors, bateaumen, artificers, drivers, 
independent companies, and many other followers of the army, 
who come under no particular description, are to be permitted 
to return there; they are to be conducted immediately by the 
shortest route to the first British post on Lake George, are to be 
supplied with provisions in the same manner as the other troops, 
and are to be bound by the same condition of not serving during 
the present contest in North America." 

X. 

"Passports to be immediately granted for three officers, not 
exceeding the rank of captain, who shall be appointed by Lieu- 
tenant- General Burgoyne, to carry dispatches to Sir William 
Howe, Sir Guy Carleton, and to Great Britain, by the way of 
New York; and Major-General Gates engages the public faith, 
that these despatches shall not be opened. These officers are to 
set out immediately after receiving their despatches, and are to 
travel the shortest and in the most expeditious manner." 

XI. 

"During the stay of the troops in Massachusetts Bay the officers 
are to be admitted on parole, and are to be allowed to wear their 
side arms." 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



XII. 



'55 



"Should the army under Lieutenant-General Burgoyne find it 
necessary to send for their clothing and other baggage to Can- 
ada, the}^ are to be permitted to do it in the most convenient man- 
ner, and the necessary passports granted for that purpose." 

XIII. 

"These articles are to be mutually signed and exchanged to- 
morrow morning at nine o'clock, and the troops under Lieutenant- 
General Burgoyne are to march out of their intrenchments at 
three o'clock in the afternoon." 

(Signed) "HORATIO GATES, Major-General. 

(Signed) "J. BURGOYNE, Lieutenant-General. 

"Saratoga, Oct. i6th, 1777." 

The Surrender 

"All was decided here, and at this hour 
Our sun leaped up, though clouds still veiled its power. 
From Saratoga's hills we date the birth, — 
Our Nation's birth among the powers of earth. 
Not back to '76, New Yorkers' date- 
The mighty impulse launched our 'Ship of State' 
'Twas given here — where shines our rising sun 
Excelsior ! These hills saw victory won. 
This vale the cradle where the colonies 
Grew into States — despite all enemies. 
Yes, on this spot — Thanks to our gracious God 
Where last in conscious arrogance it trod, 
Defil'd as captives Burgoyne's conquered horde ; 
Below their general yielded up his sword. 
There to our flag bowed England's, battle-torn. 
Where now we stand th' United States was born." 

— /. Watts De Peyster.^" 



®° From Ode read at the laying of the corner-stone of the Saratoga monu- 
ment, October 17, 1877. 



156 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

As the echoes of the sunrise gun reverberated 
through the valley, on that eventful morning of the 
17th of October, it awoke within the breasts of the 
thirty thousand warriors encamped within and about 
the arena whereon Schuylerville now stands, emotions 
as diverse as the antipodes. On the one hand was 
the sense of utter defeat and humiliation, on the other 
was felt the very ecstasy of lofty achievement and 
success. 

This was a high day in liberty's history, a red-letter 
date in the annals of humane progress, and that there 
should be no lack of artistic setting worthy of the 
occasion, dame Nature had decked herself in her 
most gorgeous apparel. It was one of the rarest of 
those rare Autumnal days when all the elements seem 
to conspire to give a witching charm to the calm land- 
scapes of October. The progress of the month had 
been like the stately march of an Orient army, with all 
the splendor of blazing banners, and the wealth and 
pageantry of olden story. The forest primeval, then 
regnant here, looked as though the glories of the sun- 
set had been distilled into it. Here and there were 
clusters of trees, decked with the glowing hues of 
crimson and scarlet and gold, that lighted up those 
ancient woods like pillars of fire. The scarlet uni- 
form of the Briton, and the blue and white of the Teu- 
ton, fitted admirably into this picture of beauty; but 
neither showy uniforms nor their proud wearers had 
availed against the embattled farmers, innocent of all 
uniform save the uniformity of homespun, and zeal 
for liberty. 

But, alas ! to the vanquished this autumnal glory 
was only the glory of fading leaves, the hectic flush 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 157 

that presages a speedy dissolution, the approach of a 
barren and cheerless winter. And as the haughty 
Briton looked out upon the scene, from the heights of 
Saratoga, he could exclaim with the still more haughty 
Roman of old : "Sic transit gloria mundi." As fades 
these leaves, so fades the glory and prestige of British 
arms amid this people ; as falls the leaves, so this day 
must witness the fall of these puissant weapons from 
our grasp, the assertors of England's authority over 
this self-willed people, and here comes on apace "The 
winter of our discontent." 

To the American, on the contrary, the scene was 
suggestive of far brighter things ; for recalling that 
every falling leaf leaves behind it a fully-developed 
bud which the coming spring will awaken to a larger 
life, so the fall of British power and pride here gave 
room and occasion for the rise of a nobler and broader 
civic life, which the rising sun of freedom would surely 
quicken and nourish into a grandeur as yet undreamed. 

The Formal Surrender 

In the early hours of that day Colonel Wilkinson 
had been dispatched by General Gates to the British 
camp, to wait upon General Burgoyne and serve him 
in any way that courtesy might suggest. Burgoyne, 
having arrayed himself in his most showy regimentals, 
mounted his horse and, together with Wilkinson, 
visited and inspected the ground where his army was 
to lay down their arms. From there they rode out 
to the bank of the river, which he surveyed attentively 
for a few mom.ents, and then inquired if it was not 
fordable there. "Certainly, sir!" was the reply, "but 



158 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

do you observe the people on the opposite bank?" 
"Yes," replied he, "I have observed them too long." 

He then suggested that he be introduced to General 
Gates. At once they wheeled, retraced their steps 
and crossed the Fish creek at the ford, General Bur- 
goyne in the lead with his staff, followed by General 
Phillips and the Baron de Riedesel, with the other 
General officers and their respective suites according 
to rank. Says Wilkinson : "General Gates, advised 
of Burgoyne's approach, met him at the head of his 
camp, Burgoyne in a rich royal uniform, and Gates in 
a plain blue frock. When they had approached nearly 
within sword's length they reined up and halted ; [ 
then named the gentlemen and General Burgoyne, 
raising his hat most gracefully, said : 'The fortune of 
war, General Gates, has made me your prisoner,' to 
which the conqueror replied, T shall always be ready 
to bear testimon}^ that it has not been through any 
fault of 5rour excellency.' Major-General Phillips 
then advanced and he and General Gates saluted and 
shook hands. Next the Baron Riedesel and the other 
officers were introduced in their turn, and as soon as 
the ceremony was concluded I left the army and 
returned to the British camp." Gates' leading officers 
were now in their turn introduced. With them also 
appeared General Schuyler, in citizen's dress, who 
had come up from Albany to congratulate Gates on 
his success, and share in the delignts, if not the honors, 
of the occasion. 

In the meantime General Riedesel had sent for his 
wife, who came over to the enemy's camp with much 
fear and trembling, but met with a reception which 
soon allayed her apprehensions and quite won her 



i6o THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

heart. Let her tell her own story, for she takes occa- 
sion to eulogize and exalt one whose memory Schuy- 
lerville especially delights to honor. Says she: "In 
our passage through the American camp, I observed 
with great satisfaction that no one cast at us scornful 
glances. On the contrary, they all greeted me, even 
showing compassion on their countenances at seeing 
a mother with her little children in such a plight. I 
confess I feared to come into the enemy's camp, as 
the thing was so entirely new to me. When I 
approached the tents a noble-looking man came toward 
me and took the children out of the wagon, embraced 
and kissed them, and then, with tears in his eyes, 
helped me also to alight. He then led me to the tent 
of General Gates, with whom I found Generals Bur- 
goyne and Phillips. Presently, the man who had 
received me so kindly, came up and said to me : 'It 
may be embarrassing to you to dine with all these 
gentlemen ; come now with your children into my 
tent where I will give you, it is true, a frugal meal, but 
one that will be accompanied with the best of wishes. 
'You are certainly,' answered I, 'a husband and a 
father, for you show me so much kindness.' I then 
learned that he was the American General Schuyler." 
At eleven A. M. the British army left its camp, 
marched down the hill to the flat and piled their arms 
just to the east of the Champlain canal. General 
Matoon, who afterward inspected them, said that the 
piles reached from near the creek to the vicinity of the 
Marshall house. The only Americans present to wit- 
ness this part of the program were Colonels Wilkinson 
and Morgan Lewis, who had been appointed by Gates 
for this purpose. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA i6i 

It was with dread reluctance that those brave men 
parted with their weapons. Some, with tears in their 
eyes, kissed them as they gave them up ; some gnashed 
their teeth and slammed them down with vengeful 
oaths ; while others ruined their muskets or stamped 
in their drum heads. 

Lieutenant Digby, in his Journal of the Expedition 
(p. 320), describes the grief of heart exhibited by the 
officers on the eve of the surrender. In the last coun- 
cil of war Burgoyne could with difficulty control him- 
self sufficiently to speak. "As to my own feelings," 
says he, "I cannot express them. Tears (though un- 
manly) forced their way. I could have burst to give 
myself vent." 

After leaving "the field of the grounded arms," the 
captured army forded the creek, and at once passed 
between the lines of the American army, which had 
been drawn up on either side of the road. But no 
shout of exultation greeted them, neither taunting 
word nor scornful look wounded their feelings, at 
which they were greatly astonished, and for which 
they afterward confessed themselves as profoundly 
grateful. This was by the order of General Gates; a 
most considerate and humane act, by which he greatly 
honored himself and his army. They were, however, 
met by an escort of soldiers and a drum corps, which 
could not refrain from administering a small dose of 
poetic justice to these captive Britons in the form of 
that good old martial tune, "Yankee Doodle." The 
words, and perhaps the tune, had been composed by 
a British humorist during the French and Indian war 
in mockery of the variegated and ludicrous costumes of 
the provincial troops and citizenship. It was sure to 

11 



1 62 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

be played whenever a colonial regiment marched by 
on parade. It had been British property exclusively 
till Saratoga, and now the waggish drum-major 
thought it a good time to put "Yankee Doodle" on the 
other foot. It took so well with our people that it 
was immediately adopted as an American martial air.®^ 

It is also worthy of special note, that at the same 
time and place our American flag, Old Glory, was 
unfurled for the first time to grace a victory. It had 
been adopted by the Continental Congress, June 14th, 
previously.®^ 

After the meeting of the Generals, and their mutual 
introduction, dinner was served in the marquee, or 
tent, of General Gates, which he had had pitched 
nearer the advanced lines during the negotiations. It 
v\ras not a full course dinner, but, no doubt, those half- 
starved captives never afterward enjoyed anything 



*^ During the Albany Bi-Centennial celebration the "Argus" gave a brief 
sketch of the "Crailo," the old Van Rensselaer homestead in Greenbush. 
In that sketch the writer says: "It was in the rear of this mansion that 
Yankee Doodle was composed. While Abercombie's army was encamped 
there [in 1758] by the old sweep well at the rear of the house, waiting for 
reinforcements, the country people came straggling in, in all manner of 
costumes and dress. Their ludicrous appearance so excited the humor of 
a British surgeon [Dr. R. Shuckburg] that he, while sitting by the bed, 
composed the original version of 'Yankee Doodle,' words and music both." 

*- Regarding this flag the following facts were communicated to the writer 
by Mr. E. R. Mann, of Ballston, N. Y., an enthusiastic student of Amer- 
ican history. They were related to him by Mr. George Strover, in 1877, 
who got the story from his father, who was a resident in the neighborhood, 
at the time, and was present at the surrender of Burgoyne. "When it 
became apparent that Burgoyne must surrender, the ladies of the settlement 
and the wives of some of the American officers took their flannel petticoats, 
etc., of the required colors, and made them into a United States flag, hav- 
ing heard of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes, in the preceding June, 
by the Continental Congress. They presented it to General Gates, and 
when, on October 17th, Burgoyne approached Gates' marquee to make the 
formal surrender, that flag was hoisted to the top of the staff and the fifes 
and drums saluted it with 'Yankee Doodle.' " 




£.^ 



1 64 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

more toothsome. ' Burgoyne magnanimously drank 
the health of Washington, whereat Gates, not to be 
outdone, drank to King George. 

Dinner being over, they stepped outside, and for a 
time watched the royal army as it passed by toward 
Stillwater. Then at a pre-arranged signal, the two 
eenerals faced each other, when General Burgoyne 
drew his sword and presented it to General Gates, m 
view of the two armies. Gates received it with due 
courtesy, and in a few minutes returned it to Burgoyne. 
General Schuyler witnessed this ceremony, and no 
doubt felt that in all justice that sword should have 
been placed in his hands. 

On this occasion he showed his rare exaltation of 
character and magnanimity, when General Burgoyne 
expressed to him his regret at the great loss he had 
inflicted upon him in the destruction of his property, 
valued at $50,000. To which he replied: "Think no 
more of it. General, the occasion justified it according 
to the rules of war." And after all this, he opened his 
fine home in Albany to Burgoyne and a suite of twenty 
persons, and made him a welcome guest so long as he 
stayed in that city. 

The number of prisoners surrendered amounted to 
five thousand seven hundred and ninety-one. Four of 
the eleven on General Burgoyne's staff were members 
of Parliament. Besides these our people already had 
eighteen hundred and fifty-six prisoners, including the 
sick and wounded, which had been abandoned to the 
Americans. The American force which, as we have 
already seen, had been rapidly augmenting during the 
last few weeks, at the time of the surrender was com- 
posed of nine thousand and ninety-three Continentals, 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 165 

or regular soldiers, and some sixteen thousand militia, 
in all about twenty-five thousand men. Hence there 
were assembled here in the wilderness, on that day of 
grace, over thirty thousand soldiers, besides the camp 
followers and civilian visitors, who had flocked hither 
to witness the last act in that heroic drama. It is 
Avorthy of note that the largest American army mus- 
tered during the Revolutionary war was assembled 
here at that time. 

Saratoga a Decisive Battle — Why? 

Historians by common consent regard the battle of 
Saratoga as one of the few decisive battles in history. 
The average reader will naturally inquire ; what is meant 
by a decisive battle, and what did Saratoga decide? Hal- 
lam, a great English historian, in his "Middle Ages" de- 
fines decisive battles as "those battles of which a contrary 
event would have essentially varied the drama of the 
'world in all its subsequent scenes." Mr. E. S. Creasy, 
late professor of history in the U^niversity College of 
London, acting on this suggestion found only fifteen 
among the thousands of battles that have been fought 
that answer to Hallam's standard ; the first was Mara- 
thon, fought 490 B. C, the last was Waterloo, fought 
in 1815. The one preceding this in his list is Saratoga. 
Of it he says : "Nor can any military event be said to 
have exercised more important influence on the future 
fortunes of mankind than the complete defeat of Bur- 
goyne's expedition in 1777." Take notice: that is the 
judgment of an Englishman! Momentous indeed were 
the results that followed upon Saratoga in which all the 
world is interested. 



i66 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

First, It preserved to the cause of liberty in America 
the precious Hudson valley by which New England and 
the Southern colonies were linked together, and which 
was absolutely necessary to their unity and cooperation. 

Second. It taught the Americans that they could meet, 
and overthrow, in a fair contest, what they had been 
taught to believe were invincible troops; hence their 
hopes of success were amazingly strengthened, and from 
that day the leaders believed that our independence was 
assured. 

Third. The outcome of Saratoga convinced European 
nations that the Americans could fight and win battles, 
and that their union possessed elements of stability: 
hence the French immediately thereafter acknowledged 
our independence and entered into an alliance with us. 
She sent us fleets, and armies, and money, by whose aid 
Ave were able to give the finishing stroke to English 
power, over these colonies, at Yorktown. 

"Saratoga was the wand that 'smote the rock of the 
national resources.' It was the magic that revived the 
'dead corpse of public credit."'^' 

Holland, after Saratoga, also gave most substantial 
aid, in supplying us with the sinews of war, in the shape 
of seven million guilders.^* 

Fourth. Having once seen how Saratoga not only 
made possible but probable our independence, anyone 
can see how after independence came naturally 
the establishment of this glorious republic which 
has proven herself a fount of all material, civil and 
religious blessings, not only to her own citizens, but to 
the whole world besides. This is a much better world, 

93 Hon. S. S. Cox, in the U. S. Senate, 1884. 

»* Belle's Financial History of the U. S. Vol. I., p. 258. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 167 

and the average of human comfort and happiness has 
been vastly raised, because of the birth, the development, 
and example of this republic. 

"lyth. A day famous in the annals of American history" 

Lieut. Digby, of Burgoyne's army, uses the above as the 
opening words of his journal for October 17, 1777. He 
packed far more of truth in that sentence than he 
dreamed. 

In the Fifteenth Century humanity cried for more 
room, and Christopher Columbus, by the grace of God, 
discovered a continent. In the Eighteenth Century 
humanity cried for greater civil liberty and the citizen 
soldiery of America, under the smile of the Almighty, 
won it at Saratoga. AH hail then the morning of the 17th 
of October, 1777! Light from the four corners of 
heaven streams upon thee, making thee the brightest that 
had yet dawned upon this virgin continent. Farewell 
ages of tyranny; farewell sceptred brutes and crowned 
despots ! The triumphant day here dawned which 
assured to every man the privilege of becoming equal to 
every other man, and which should see every man 
anointed a king and every woman a queen in their own 
right, and ushered in the era that should witness the 
realization of that dream of the poet: "The parliament 
of man, the federation of the world." 

"The nation that forgets its Marathon 
Has lost the choicest glory it has won. 
Then let yon granite shaft of grace 
Forever be a rallying place 
For liberty and honor, till the day 
The stone is dust, the river dried away." 

— C. H. Crandall. 



1 68 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The reader will remember that this crushing defeat 
inflicted on England by no means ended the war, which 
dragged its slow length along through five more weary 
years, but the stroke at Saratoga tipped the scales in 
freedom's favor, it turned the tide which thenceforward 
set unfalteringly for victory and independence. 

The Fate of the Two Armies 

The captured army marched south and stayed the first 
night on their old camp ground at Wilbur's Basin, whence 
they had been driven ten days before. The next day 
our people separated the Germans from the British. The 
British crossed the river on the floating bridge which 
had been thrown across by Gates at Bemis Pleights, and 
took the old Hoosac road through Northampton, Mass., 
for Boston. The Germans crossed in boats near 
Mechanicville, and stayed the next night at Schaghticoke ; 
thence marched south through Troy and Kinderhook to 
Claverack; thence east through the Berkshires by the 
way of Springfield to Boston. 

Congress did not keep the contract made by Gates to 
send the surrendered army back to England immediately. 
The reason for this was that several of the regiments, 
in defiance of the capitulation, failed to surrender their 
colors ; but which with the military chest were effectually 
concealed in various ways by the officers. And further- 
more, rumors reached Congress, and it was led to believe 
that the British soldiers meant to break their parole, join 
Howe's army and renew the fight against us. So they 
marched them from Boston down to Virginia, thence they 
were moved hither and yon till after peace was declared. 

Washington himself advised Congress to this course. 
Burgoyne was permitted to return to England, where 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 169 

he received but a cold reception at the hands of the 
king and people. Afterwards, however, he largely 
regained his popularity. He died in 1792, and was hon- 
ored with burial in Westminster Abbey. 

Three days after the surrender Gates' host of militia 
started for their various homes and so vanished from the 
scene like the mists of the morning.'*^ Morgan, with his 
illustrious corps, and several brigades, was reluctantly 
and tardily returned by Gates to the grand army under 
Washington. The regulars lingered here at Saratoga 
for some time, restored the barracks destroyed by Bur- 
goyne, and helped General Schuyler to resurrect from the 
ashes the home which the same enemy had wantonly 
cremated. So much of the army as did not finally 
go to reinforce Washington wintered at Saratoga and 
Albany. 

Guide to the Saratoga Battle Field — How to 
Get There 

From Schuylerville. If you are a good walker go first 
by electric car to Wilbur's Basin. From there walk to 
Freeman's Farm, one and one-half miles to the west. 
After crossing the canal take first left hand road up the 
hill. From there it is a straight road to the battlefield. 
After crossing the ravine turn in at the first house on the 
left. You are then at the place. 

If you are not a walker, then take a carriage at Schuy- 
lerville. Perhaps you better go by Quaker Springs and 
return by the River road. The scenery from Quaker 
Springs to the battle field is superb. After leaving 
Quaker Springs, up the second road to your left came 
General Fraser on the morning of the 19th of Septem- 



*= The Sexagenary, p. 124. 



I70 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

ber, 1777, on his way to the battle. Near here he turned 
southward. After passing the Quaker meeting house, 
a half mile farther on you come to a fork in the roads, 
keep to the left ; then take second road to the left and 
turn in at the first house you come to on the right. You 
are then at the Freeman's Farm House (now Esmond's). 

From Saratoga Springs. It is nine miles to the battle 
field. You will need to take a carriage, and a lunch, as it 
will be quite late before you get back. Drive out Union 
Avenue to Moon's ; then down the hill back of his place, 
cross the trestle bridge over the foot of the lake ; then 
along the shore of the lake for a mile and a half to the 
Cedar Bluff house. Take first left hand road beyond 
this up the hill. On top of the hill turn to the right, a 
little farther on turn to the left, then southwest for half 
a mile till you meet a road running directly east, take 
this over hill and dale for three miles, passing three cross 
roads from the north, till you come to a school house and 
the Quaker meeting house. Arrived at this turn you are 
on historic ground. It was near here that General Fraser 
with his brigade, coming up from the river on the morn- 
ing of the 19th of September, 1777, turned to the south 
on his way to the battle field. Now turn up the hill to the 
right past the school house and church. About half a 
mile south of the church you come to a fork in the roads, 
keep to the left; then take second road down the hill to 
your left, turn in at the first house you come to on your 
right; this is Freeman's farm (now Esmond's). 

From Mechanicville and the south. Take electric car 
to Stillwater or Bemis Heights : there get a carriage to 
the battle field. Turn up the hill at Bemis Heights. 
About a mile up the hill another road comes in from the 
north. Follow this road for a mile and a half turning: to 



172 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

the right at the second cross road, then down the hill, 
and turn in to the right at the first house you come to ; 
this is Freen'ian's farm. 

Arrived at Freeman's farm, first obtain permission to 
look over the grounds. Then as you stand at the front 
of the house facing the west you are looking out on the 
field of the first day's battle. The original Freeman cot- 
tage stood to your left near the west line of the barnyard. 
It W'-as at and about this cottage that Morgan met the 
British scouts under Major Forbes. He drove them back 
into the woods just north of the road, and was there in 
turn driven back and scattered by Burgoyne's main 
body. Burgoyne formed his line of battle just north of 
the ravine which runs parallel with and a little to the 
north of the road. Then he advanced and the battle 
raged for four hours back and forth across the open 
clearing both to the east and west of the cottage, but 
principally to the west. The battle ended when the Ger- 
mans coming up from the river occupied the knoll to the 
south of the barns with reinforcements and turned the 
American right wing, just at dark. 

After the battle the British held the field and fortified 
themselves. See map for location and direction of their 
lines. Here they remained for seventeen days. Let us 
now look over the grounds a bit. 

The Old Battle Well 

First: In the hollow just beyond the barnyard at the 
south you see the old battle well. About this well many 
poor fellows were found dead after the battle, who in 
their last moments had dragged themselves thither to 
c[uench their raging thirst, a condition which always fol- 
lows loss of blood. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



The Great Redoubt 



173 



Secoxd : P^rom the well, climb the knoll and pass to 
the southwest till you come 10 the fence. It was on this 
knoll that Riedesel posted his infantry and cannon whose 
attack decided the battle of the 19th of September, 1777, 
for the British. About the knoll the British built a strong- 
redoubt, which served as the southwest defense of their 
camp. Against this redoubt Arnold led the ineffectual 
charge after the retreat of the British on the 7th of Octo- 
ber. On the little rocky knoll, a few rods to the west of 
you, the British had an outw^ork. 

Remains of Bukgoyxe's Camp Defenses 

Third : Should you wish to see the only remains of 
Burgoyne's camp defenses, take the road one-half mile 
to the east to Mr. E. R. Wilbur's. The ravine 3^ou cross 
on the wa}' was the line between Hamilton's and Eraser's 
camps. About a half mile from Mr. Wilbur's to the 
south, in the bushes, are some well preserved breast- 
works. Their location and form are marked on the map, 
as is also the location of Burgoyne's headquarters tent. 
When there, look for remains of old camp well over the 
fence to the west. 

These are on the land of Mr. Eugene Curtis, and it is 
hoped that they may be preserved intact, as relics of the 
historic past are becoming more scarce and more inter- 
esting as the years go by. 

Breyman's Hill 

EouRTH : About sixty rods to the northwest of Free- 
man's farm, and north of the road, is Breyman's hill. 
called bv the residents Burgovne's hill, a misnomer. 



174 I^Hi^ STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

This defended the extreme right of the British camp, and 
was held by the Germans under Colonel Breyman. The 
capture of this strong position by Arnold ended the sec- 
ond day's battle, and forced Burgoyne to retreat. Arnold 
broke through the breastworks between the road and the 
first clump of trees. Once within the works, he quickly 
compelled the defenders to retreat. In the contest which 
followed his entrance he was wounded, and Colonel Brey- 
man was killed. The tablet is placed on the line of the 
works, while Arnold was doubtless wounded a little to 
the rear, to the east. Hardly a suggestion of the old 
earthworks remain here. 

Where General Fraser was Shot 

Fifth : Returning to the road, pass up the hill 
to the west and turn to the left. It was this high 
ground, over which the road runs, that Fraser 
occupied and held during the first day's battle. 
Just after you have passed three houses, look on 
the right side of the road for the tablet' which 
marks the place where General Fraser was shot. The 
basswood tree over the tablet grew out of the stump of the 
original one, under which the tragedy occurred. The 
man who shot him, Timothy Murphy, doubtless stood 
some eight hundred or a thousand feet to the west or 
south-west of this point. 

Scene of Second Day's Battle 

Sixth : Passing on you will notice, as you descend the 
hill, a tablet on the right of the road, against the fence. 
This is about on the line where Burgoyne posted his forces 
before the second battle. The British grenadiers, under 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 175 

Major Ackland, were posted from near this point around 
the base of the hill to the left. The British light infantry, 
with one cannon, occupied the hill over to the right and 
also a part of the plain this side of the hill. The Germans 
held the center. The artillery was posted at intervals 
from the right of Ackland's grenadiers to the center of the 
German lines. The twelve-pounders, over which there 
was such a stubborn fight, were posted in the rear of the 
German left, a little up the hill. 

The battle opened with an attack by the Americans 
under General Poor on the grenadiers at the extreme left ;. 
at nearly the same time Dearborn and Learned struck 
both the British and German lines in front, while Morgan 
charged up the hill at the rear of the British extreme 
right, and forced them to retire. Soon Arnold compelled 
the Germans to give way when, after fifty-two minutes of 
fiercest fighting the entire force of the British were com- 
pelled to hurry back to their camp, which was stormed by 
Arnold and their right defense taken, as previously 
stated. 

The Middle Ravine and Observation Hill 

Seventh : Leaving the second day's battle ground^ 
you pass toward the south, over a stone bridge. This 
bridge spans the Middle ravine, which figures so promi- 
nently in the history of the hostile camps, and the two 
battles. Passing on you soon come to an isolated hill 
crowned with farm buildings. From the top of the log 
house, which then stood there, Colonel Wilkinson observed' 
the British army deploying into line and apparently 
offering battle, which fact he reported to General Gates, 
who at once ordered the attack. At the foot of this hill 
stands a tablet whose inscription gives the impression 




L ^ 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 177 

that from here General Fraser was shot. This could 
not be for two reasons : first, because Morgan and his 
men were not here, but were engaged with the British 
right, half a mile and more to the north-west; and sec- 
ond, because the shoulder of the hill would prevent 
seeing General Fraser from here, or if not the hill, the 
trees, and also the smoke of battle, would screen him at 
this distance. 

Fort Neilson 

Eighth : Passing on three-fourths of a mile toward 
the south-east, and climbing the hill, we come to the site 
of Fort Neilson, which defended the north-west angle of 
the American camp. The barns stand on the site of the 
old log barn about which the ramparts were thrown up. 
The wing to the rear of the main house is the identical 
one occupied by Morgan and Poor as their quarters. The 
interior has been kept intact. From this point Arnold no 
doubt mounted his horse and rushed into battle without 
orders. For the location and direction of the American 
works, and the point of departure of the divisions into 
battle, see map. 

Gates' Headquarters 

Ninth : After leaving Fort Neilson, as you continue 
down the road toward the south, somewhere down in the 
field to your left stood the ammunition magazine of 
the Americans. At the intersection of the roads, as you 
turn to the left, you will observe a tablet. A little 
way back of this in the field was Gates' headquarters, 
and up to the right of it was the hospital. Here 
Gates stayed during the second day's battle, and here 
he had the heated argument with Sir Francis Gierke, 



178 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

a wounded prisoner, over the merits of the ques- 
tions at issue between the Americans and British, 
apparently more anxious to win in the battle of words 
tljan in the life and death struggle waging beyond the 
sajly port of his camp. 

Bemis' Tavern and River Defenses 

Tenth : When you reach the foot of the hill at the 
river, you will see on your left, next the fence, a tablet 
marked Bemis' tavern. Fothem Bemis kept tavern here, 
and owned part of the heights to the west. Hence the 
name, Bemis Heights. The old tavern stood over in the 
fields a little way to the north. Now turning northward, 
you will soon see another tablet in front of a house to your 
left. From here ran strong entrenchments to the river, 
where a floating bridge spanned that stream. Note here 
the narrowness of the passage between the hill and river. 
It was a veritable Thermopylae. Burgoyne acknowledged 
in his testimony before the court of inquiry that he dare 
not attempt to force it. The crest of the hills, as you pass 
northward, were crowned with strong breastworks and 
batteries. Three-fourths of a mile to the north of Bemis', 
you will see another tablet on the right side of the road in 
front of a barn. This marks the site of the advance works 
of the Americans. Those entrenchments, however, were 
near the river to the south-east. See the map. A little 
farther on you will notice two houses, some distance off 
to your right, next the river. The lower farm was Van- 
denburgh's, and served as a stopping place over night 
for the frightened inhabitants on their way from the north 
to a place of safety. The highway ran along the river 
till after the Revolution. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 179 

Burgoyne's River Defenses. Eraser's Grave 

Eleventh : Two miles to the north of Bemis Heights 
we come to Wilbur's basin. Here just to the north of the 
buildings Burgoyne had his hospital, his park of artillery, 
and his magazines. x\t the river bank were tied his 
transportation boats, and thrown across the river was a 
pontoon bridge. Up to the left you will notice three hills. 
On each of these was placed a battery for the defense of 
his camp and stores. On the middle one General Eraser 
was buried, and his body was never removed, so far as 
is known. Consult map for locations. The fourth house 
to the north along the river is Ensign's, where Neilson 
had his struggle with the big Indian described in the 
chapter of anecdotes. 

Sword's House 

Twelfth : Nearly two miles north of Wilbur's basin 
you come to Searle's ferry. Eorty rods above the ferry 
is a farm house. Turn to the west just north of the 
barns, pass over the canal bridge, and a few rods to the 
west of the bridge, on a rise of ground, and a little to your 
left, you will see a depression in the ground. That 
marks the cellar of Sword's house, which Burgoyne 
occupied two days as headquarters, and in the vicinity of 
which his arm)^ was encamped. 

Willard's Mountain 

Thirteenth : Throughout the day you have noticed 
a high mountain on the east side of the river, about six 
miles away. That is Willard's mountain, so called from 
the fact that a Mr. Willard posted himself on that moun- 
tain during the latter days of Burgoyne's advance and 
signaled his observations to General Gates. 



i8o ■ THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

CHAPTER XVII 

Anecdotes of the Revolutionary Period 

Introductory — Tlie Sexagenary — Who zvas He? 

Among the very few early residents of the upper Hudson 
valley who left behind them a written record of incidents 
connected with Colonial and Revolutionary days was one 
who signed himself the Sexagenary, (that is, the man in 
his sixties). Indeed, he gives us about the most enter- 
taining and realistic pictures we have of the hardships 
and sufferings, the toils and sacrifices, which the common 
folk of those days had to undergo, especially the dwellers 
in those communities into whose precincts the common 
enemy chanced to intrude himself. His real name was 
never divulged, so far as we can learn, hence his identity 
has ever remained a profound mystery, but at the same 
time a prolific cause of wonderment and conjecture on 
the part of students of New York history. 

On the first reading of the Sexagenary's book^ the 
writer was inclined to regard it as largely fictitious ; but 
after a more critical study of it he discovered the author 
to be thoroughly accurate in all cases where it has been 
possible to verify him. His constant reference to sites, 
and localities and personages, in and about Old Saratoga, 
showed a familiarity with the lay of the country and its 
people which was possible to one only after a protracted 
residence. All this served to arouse the curiosity of the 
writer to the point of getting on his track and running 
down this coy and evasive author. The clues were fur- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA i8i 

nished us chiefly by the book itself, showing that the 
author did not cover his tracks as thoroughly as he 
fancied. 

First, we undertook to locate the home of the Sexagen- 
ary's father, about whom he has so much to say. From 
his book we learned the author was born in Schoharie, 
N. Y., the year of the Stamp Act, 1765 ; that, his father 
removed to the vicinity of Saratoga, apparently about 
1770, and bought a farm on the east side of the Hudson, 
opposite "Schuyler's Flats ;" that the house was situated 
about one-quarter of a mile from the river; that it was 
south of the ford across the Hudson, and was located on 
a bluff, or bank, that ran parallel with the river. Just to 
the north of the house was a hollow, and a ravine running 
east into the high bluff's, or river hills, which was suitable 
for and was frequently used as a place of refuge from 
the periodic raids of Indians and Tories. From beneath 
the bank in said hollow, or ravine, gushed a spring. Hav- 
ing set down all the landmarks given in the book that 
referred to his home, the writer set to work diligently 
to find the place and after a misadventure or two finally 
succeeded in locating it beyond all question. It is on the 
east side of the river. Everybody familiar with the drive 
has noticed the stately mansion adorning the bluff up to 
your left, on the way southward, and overlooking the 
river, about tAvo miles south of the bridge. The place 
now comprising 226 acres is owned by Mrs. John B. 
Eldredge, but for many years was known as the Slade 
place. This was the early home of the Sexagenary, 
though the original house was removed to make room 
for the present brick structure. 

Having located his abode, we thought by searching the 
records we could easily find who owned that property 



1 82 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

from 1770 to 1785 or '90, but to our chagrin, could find 
nothing either in the clerk's office of Washington county, 
nor in the archives at Albany. We learned that but few 
records of conveyances were kept at that time. Not to 
be baffled in this way, we turned again to the book, hoping 
to find some other clue which we had overlooked; ere 
long we discovered that the author's name was John — a 
fatal slip if he really wanted to conceal himself. Remem- 
bering that he speaks of himself as having settled upon the 
Battenkill soon after the Revolution, we at once turned 
to the history of Washington county, and looked up all 
the ''Johns" who had attained any prominence in the 
towns of Greenwich and Easton between 1790 and 1825, 
and found quite a number of them. Turning to his book 
again, with this clue in mind, we noticed that on the flight 
of the inhabitants at the approach of Burgoyne, his father 
and family sought refuge among their relatives in Beth- 
lehem, south of Albany, who received them very kindly. 
Happening to have some relatives of our own among the 
old families in that locality, we called to mind among 
others the name Becker. Turning to our list of "Johns," 
we found there a John Becker. Here at last was some- 
thing tangible and hopeful. Now the question was. Were 
there any Beckers in Schoharie, whence the Sexagenary 
says he came with his father? Not having read as yet 
his reminiscences of the Schoharie valley, we seized his 
book for another search. We had not gone far before we 
read, on page 166, in his description of Sir John Johnson's 
raid down through thai valley, in 1780, and his attack on 
Middleburg. that the fort there was situated midway be- 
tween the hill and the creek (which is true), and that 
it consisted, as he said, "of a picket and some minor de- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 183 

fenses" thrown up about what was ''well known by the 
appellation of Becker's stone house." Then he says : 
"When the alarm was given my grandfather was in the 
fort, and his son was in a mill which belonged to the 
family about a mile from the place." It occurred to us 
that the most natural place in the world for an old man to 
be found, in the country especially, would be in his own 
house. But still, so natural an inference did not verify 
the fact that the grandfather's name was Becker, he 
might have been making a call at the time. If, however, 
it could be found that the "mill" which was "about a mile 
from the fort" was owned at the time by a Becker, it 
would prove beyond reasonable doubt that the Sexagen- 
ary was a Becker, for it "belonged to the family." 

The Hon. George L. Danforth, of Middleburg, N. Y., 
who has made a special study of the history of that local- 
ity, writes us that "Johannes Becker owned the house 
which was fortified as the Middle Fort. There were two 
grist mills within about a mile of the fort, as you can see 
from the ancient map of the territory, published in 'Gen- 
eral Sullivan's Expedition against the Indians;' one was 
Becker's, and the other was Eckerson's."'^^ This proves 
beyond reasonable doubt that the name we are after is 
Becker. Adding to this what we had already discovered, 
we have the combination, John Becker. 

Returning to Old Saratoga and vicinity, we discover 
some additional confirmation for our conclusion. In the 
Records of the (Dutch) Reformed Church, at Schuyler- 
ville, we find that when it was re-organized, in 1789, Peter 
Becker and Colonel Cornelius Van Veghten were elected 
as elders. Now the Sexagenary speaks of his father as 



•^ General Sullivan's Indian Expedition, p. 288. 



i84 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

being an attendant of the church at "Schuyler's Flats," 
and also of Colonel Van Veghten as being a great friend 
of his father's. These two men being active patriots, and 
both of them active members of the same church, are 
facts that afford ample ground for such friendship. Fur- 
thermore, Peter Becker's name appears in the history of 
Washington county as one of the early settlers in the town 
of Easton, which is east of the Hudson, and opposite 
Saratoga. On inquiry among the Beckers of Easton, 
who are posted in family history, we found that none of 
their ancestry settled along the river as far north as this, 
but that they came from Schaghticoke way. This would 
indicate that Peter Becker came from elsewhere, which 
leaves room for the inference that he is the one who emi- 
grated from Schoharie, and hence was the father of the 
Sexagenary. Peter Becker's election to the eldership of 
the aforesaid church when the Sexagenary was only 
twenty-four tends to strengthen the theory of such rela- 
tionship.^^ 

Finally, in closing his "Reminiscences," the Sexagenary 
says : "After the war I married and removed to a beautiful 
farm on the Battenkill that to this day (1832), bears my 
name. Prosperity filled my sails, and when my father 
died, his blessing seemed to rest upon my head." Then 
he recounts a series of disasters which swept away his 



"8 The name of John P. Becker also appears quite frequently in the early 
records of the Reformed church at Schuylerville, especially in connection 
with the baptism of his five younger children. In connection with these 
baptisms we learn that his wife's name was Margaret Van Buren. 

The following are the names of the children born to John P. Becker and 
Margaret Van Buren; Martin, born (?); died February loth, 1808, 
age 20; Garret, born December ist, 1789; Jeremiah, born September 7th, 
1792; Maria, born May ist, 1794; Caty Ann, born August 29th, 1796; 
Walter, born December 19th, 1798. The wife of Peter Becker, the father 
of John P., was Annetie Acker, a name also common in Schoharie. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 185 

property, and left him a poor old man at the time he 
undertook his literar}^ work. On investigation, we found 
that one John P. Becker figures in the early history of 
Greenwich, which is on the Battenkill. He had much to 
do with the founding of the (Dutch) Reformed Church 
of Union Village, as Greenwich was then called, in 
i^oy-io.^^ and for sometime served as its treasurer. 
In 1810 he was elected as the second president of Union 
Village. ^°° These facts indicate that he was a man of 
some standing in the community, as one would expect 
from the author of such a work. 

On visiting Greenwich, to ascertain if there were any 
who could remember Air. Becker, we found that the Hon. 
Charles R. Ingalls, judge of the Supreme Court, has a 
clear remembrance of him as an old man who used to call 
at his father's house, in Greenwich, when he was a small 
boy. He recalls him as one who was spoken of as having 
had considerable means ; that he once owned the Hosier 
place, now the beautiful home of Henry Gray, M. D., No. 
18 Church street ; and that he had lost his property ; espec- 
ially did he remember him as one who in his visits used 
often to fall asleep in his chair and snore sonorously. The 
Judge's recollection tallies closely with the Sexagenary's 
account of himself, especially with reference to the loss 
of his property. 

Our deduction from all these facts is, that John,^*- 
Becker and the original of the Sexagenary are one a^ the 
same individual. In this deduction. Judge Charles R. 
Ingalls, of Troy, N. Y., and other prominent citizens to 
whom the facts have been submitted fully concur. 



"8 Thurston's Historical Sketch of Greenwich, p. 48. 

^"° Historjr of Washington County. Edition of 1878, p. 343. 



186 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The contents of the book were first published as con- 
tributed papers in the Alban}^ Gazette, in 183 1-3, and now 
on file in the State Library. The first number of the 
series was published in the issue of December 20, 1831. 
By way of preface, the editor of the Gazette says : 

"We commence this day the publication of a series of 
numbers furnished us, and edited by a gentleman of this 
city which we hope will not prove without interest to 
those who look with kindness on the reminiscences of our 
old inhabitants." 

The gentleman who furnished and edited the papers 
was S. Dewitt Bloodgood, a prominent citizen of Albany 
at the time, and a regular contributor to the press. In 
1866 these papers were collected and re-edited by Dewitt 
C. Bloodgood, presumably the son of the preceding, and 
then published in book form by Joel Munsell, of Albany, 
in his Historical series, but neither the final editor nor 
the publisher knew the author's name. 

The following statement of the Sexagenary, concerning 
himself and the circumstances under which he published 
his Reminiscences, was left out by editor number two in 
preparing the papers for publication in book form. This, 
we think, ought not to have been done, as it helps one to 
understand how a man, lacking in literary experience, 
could have his story presented in so readable a form. 

"Induced by the cares of poverty, which now press upon 
me with a weight unfelt in happier years, I have, at the 
instance of a gentleman who has befriended me in advers- 
ity, consented to entrust to his hands the incidents of my 
life for publication." 

We find that one writer, who published in 1844 a local 
history of Revolutionary times, copied very largely from 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 187 

the Sexagenary papers without giving any credit to his 
source, and that several later writers have quoted this 
copyist, apparently supposing him to be the original pub- 
lisher of the stories. 

The book deserves to be more widely read, as it is writ- 
ten in a very entertaining style, and is thoroughly trust- 
worthy in everything where the author was in a position 
to know the facts from experience, or could consult the 
witnesses, and he attempts to meddle with very little else. 
The book being out of print and quite rare, we have 
taken the liberty to quote it very freely in these pages. 

After the above was set in type the writer was sur- 
prised one day by a visit from a grandson of John P. 
Becker. We had failed in all our attempts at finding 
hereabouts a descendant of Mr. Becker's. This was Mr. 
A. J. Smith of Saratoga Springs, who had through the 
local press become aware of our researches. He stated 
that the above facts regarding the early home of his 
grandfather, his presence at the surrender of Burgoyne 
and the main facts connected with his later life were 
known to him to be correct. He, however, knew nothing 
of his great-grandfather Peter Becker, nor was he aware 
that his grandfather had allowed to be published the 
incidents of his life. Evidently in his desire to hide his 
identity the old man had not disclosed his literary venture 
even to his own children, else it would not have so longi 
remained a secret. Mr. Smith stated that his grand- 
father became blind in the last 3'ears of his life, and that 
he and his son Walter, who was a physician, were both 
killed in a runaway accident on the way from Salem to 
Greenwich in the year 1837. 



1 88 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

CHAPTER XVIII 

Anecdotes 
Stampede of the People — Its Cause 

During the entire period of the Revolution the farmers up 
and down the vaUey, who happened to possess teams of 
horses, were frequently pressed into service as wagoners ; 
compelled to leave their own homes and business to serve 
the pubhc. Mr. Becker (the Sexagenary) tells how his 
father, like his neighbors, was frequently made a victim 
of this presumably necessary policy. Once, while a boy 
of only eleven, he was forced to drive one of his father's 
teams all the way to Montreal, in the dead of winter, with 
supplies for General Montgomery's army. They used the 
ice on Lakes George and Champlain as a highway. 

The following incident, related by Mr. Becker, occurred 
after the fall of Ticonderoga, and just after the vanguard 
of Burgoyne's army had reached the Hudson at Fort 
Edward : 

"For some days no information was received from our 
troops, who were supposed to be intrenched at Moses 
creek for the purpose of making a stand. We were 
wrapped in fond security until our danger was suddenly 
brought home to us by one of the startling incidents 
attendant on an enemy's approach. It was in August, 
and we had just risen from dinner, when one of my 
uncle's negroes came running to the house with eyes 
dilated with terror. After waiting for a few moments 
for the return of his natural functions, we learned from 
him that an Indian had been seen in the orchard near 
the house, evidently intending to shoot a person belong- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 189 

ing to the family, who was at work in the garden ; the 
blacks, however, had given the alarm, and the man 
escaped into the house, while at the same time six other 
savages rose from their place of concealment and ran 
into the woods. This was on our [the east] side of the 
river. The savages that remained with Burgoyne were 
continually, for miles in advance of him, on his flanks, 
reconnoitering our movements, and beating up the settle- 
ments. My father, on learning the fact of their approach, 
went immediatel}' over to his brother's house, which was 
about one-fourth of a mile off, to ascertain what was to 
be done for the safety of the families. He found him 
making every exertion to move away. During my father's 
absence, my mother, who was a resolute woman, one 
fitted for the times in which she lived, was industriously 
placing the most valuable of her clothing in a cask ; and 
at her instance, I went out with some of our servants to 
catch a pair of fleet horses, and harness them as fast as 
possible to the wagon." Several loads were hastily taken 
down to the river placed in a light bateau, some of the 
farming utensils were buried in the road; a half dozen 
porkers were turned loose into the woods ; the father and 
family, with a couple teams, ferried^"^ themselves across 
the river to Schuyler's Flats, while the son, who tells us 
the story, with a black, paddled down the river. They 
reached H. Vandenburg's [now Ephraim Ford's place], 
between Wilbur's Basin and Bemis Heights, that night. 
"We found, on landing there, a number of people who, 
like ourselves, had been driven from their homes. I 



^"1 The cut in the bank, excavated by the Beckers as an approach to their 
private ferry, and mentioned by the Sexagenary in connection with the above 
story, is still used for a crossing place in the winter, and for drawing ice 
from the river by the neighboring farmers. 



igo 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



scarcely ever witnessed a greater scene of hurry and 
confusion than was now presented to our view. I had 
been amused by the noveky, and pleased with the variety 
of incidents which attended our own flight, but the dis- 
tress of the groups around us changed the current of my 
feelings and excited my deepest sympathy. Some of them 
obtained accommodations that night within doors ; some 
were happy to be under the cover of the cattle sheds, 
while others stretched themselves in their wagons, and 
endeavored to snatch a few moments of repose. The 
next morning my father, with a few congenial spirits, 
went back home to try to save some of their stock, which 
they succeeded in doing safely. At the same time the 
whole body of people at Vandenburg's moved ofif toward 
Stillwater; a general panic now prevailing among them, 
which seemed every hour to increase. Our procession of 
flying inhabitants wore a strange and melancholy appear- 
ance. A long cavalcade of wagons, filled with all kinds 
of furniture not often selected by the owners with refer- 
ence to their use or value on occasions of alarm, 
stretched along the road, while others on horseback, and 
here and there two mounted at once upon a steed panting 
under a double load, were followed by a crowd of pedes- 
trians. These found great difliculty in keeping up with 
the rapid flight of their mounted friends. Here and 
there would be seen some humane person assisting the 
more unfortunate, by relieving them of their packs and 
bundles with which they were encumbered, but gener- 
ally a principle of selfishness prevented an interchange of 
friendly offices." After many vicissitudes, young Becker, 
with his father and family, reached Bethlehem, about ten 
miles below Albany, where they found refuge among 
relatives. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 191 

Experience of the Marshall Family 

Mrs. Thomas Jordan, a daughter of Abram Marshall, 
who settled upon the farm now owned by W. H. Mar- 
shall, south of Mctory. in 1763, related to Benson J. 
Lossing, the historian, in 1848, her experience of the 
Burgoyne campaign. She was a young lady of twenty 
when independence was declared, and was living with 
her parents on their farm when Burgoyne came down 
the valley. She was then betrothed, but her lover had 
shouldered his musket, and was in Schuyler's camp. 
When the people were hastily fleeing toward Albany, on 
the approach of Burgoyne, she and her parents were 
among the fugitives. Se fearful were they of the Indian 
scouts sent forward, and of the resident Tories, who were 
emboldened by the proximity of the invaders, that for 
several nights previous to their flight they slept in a 
swamp, apprehensive that their dwelling would be burned 
over their heads, and tnemselves murdered. When they 
returned home, after the surrender of Burgoyne, all 
was desolation. 'Tt was a sad return, for we had but 
little to come to," she said. "Our crops and our cattle, 
our sheep, hogs and horses, were all gone, yet we knelt 
down in our desolate home and thanked God sincerely 
that our house and barns were not destroyed." She 
wedded her soldier lover soon after his discharge. He 
had been in the bateau service. She was personally ac- 
quainted with General Schu3der, and used to speak feel- 
ingly of the noble-heartedness of himself and lady in all 
the relations of life. Thomas Jordan cleared and 
owned the farm now occupied by Mr. Frank Marshall, 
who is a grand-nephew of Mrs. Jordan. 



192 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Experience of the Rogers Family 

Among the interesting incidents of Revolutionary times 
connected with citizens who have been prominent in the 
history of Schuylerville, one of the most thrilling relates 
to the ancestry of Rev. Thomas L. Rogers, for a number 
of years pastor of the Baptist church here. 

His grandfather, James Rogers, son of Rev. James 
Rogers, was living, in 1777, with his family, on a farm 
at the junction of the Battenkill with the Hudson river, 
at the place now known as Clark's Mills. When the 
army of Burgoyne was approaching that point, he 
thought it wise to seek shelter under the protection of 
General Stark, at Bennington, about thirty miles to the 
eastward. Hastily packing a wagon with such of his 
goods as he could carry, he started, with his wife and 
two young children, for Bennington, on August 13th, 
1777. He reached Walloomsac on the eve of the 15th, 
and camped for the night. The next morning he saw 
coming down the creek some American soldiers, and 
soon after saw, coming up the valley, some British 
troops ; in fact, he was right between the lines, and a 
battle was imminent, for Stark had come out to prevent 
Burgoyne's men, under Colonel Baum, getting to Ben- 
nington. The mother and children were hastily secured 
in the cellar of a hut by the creek, and the father and the 
oxen were impressed into the service of Stark. Baum 
planted his cannon to stop the Yankee advance, but they 
were soon taken by a charge (the first charge upon a 
battery in the open field made by Americans in the 
Revolutionary war). Soon thereafter those guns were 
hauled to the rear by James Rogers' oxen. One of 
them was exhibited and fired in the salute at the dedi- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 193 

cation of the Bennington battle monument, August 
16, 1891. 

Mr. Rogers and his family remained in the vicinity of 
Bennington for two weeks, during which time the 
younger child died. He returned as soon as it was safe 
to his farm, where he died in September, 1793. He left 
three sons and four daughters, all of whom married and 
settled in Greenwich. James Rogers was only 49 when 
he died, but his wife lived to the age of 88 years, dying 
in 1837. She is well remembered by her grandchildren, 
one of whom, Samuel Rogers, of Bald Mountain, is still 
living at the age of ninety-three. 

The farm of James Rogers has been held continuously 
in the Rogers family since 1770, being now occupied by 
A. Yates Rogers, Esq. 

The maiden name of Mrs. James Rogers was Mercy 
Tefft. Her family emigrated to Greenwich from Rhode 
Island and was among the earliest and most substantial 
settlers of that town.^^^ 

Joseph Welch's Narrow Escape 

Joseph Welch was one of the ante-Revolutionary set- 
tlers in Old Saratoga, and perhaps was the only repre- 
sentative from this locality who fought in the battle of 
Bunker Hill. Sometime after this, he had the misfor- 
tune to be captured by some Indians and taken to Can- 
ada. They evidently intended to adopt him into their 
tribe if they could tame him. They kept him pretty 
snug for a time, but he managed in various ways to win 
their esteem and confidence. One day the chief asked 
him if he had a squaw and any papooses back home, and 

^"^ The above facts were kindly given the writer by Mr. Thomas L. Rogers, 
of Boston, Mass., son of the Rev. Thomas L. Rogers. 

13 



194 THE SrORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

he said no, which was not true, for he had a young wife 
and a child or two. The chief then said : "Before many 
moons, Ave will give the white man a squaw." 

After a while they allowed him to go out hunting 
with them, but he was too politic to allow himself to shoot 
more game than the Indians, lest he should arouse their 
jealousy. But all this time Welch was only "playing 
■possum." By no means had he forgotten his old home 
and loved ones, nor had his determination to see them 
again abated ; for after he had been with the Indians, 
perhaps a year or more, and noticed that they had re- 
laxed their vigilance, he began to lay his plans for escape. 
He secreted some provision, secured a hatchet, and fin- 
ally one summer night, when all were sound asleep, he 
arose, wrapped his blanket around him, stole out of the 
wigwam, and was off for liberty, intending to make the 
nearest English settlement or military station. 

Of course, the next morning he was missed, and at 
once the Indians gave chase. Ere long he discovered 
that they were on his track, and despite every effort to 
elude them, found that they were gaining on him. Fin- 
ally he espied a hollow log, and in sheer desperation, 
crawled into it. His pursuers were soon up with him, 
and losing the trail, hunted around for it in the vicinity 
of the log the balance of the day, and in fact camped 
near him for the night. The next morning they gave up 
the search and went off. 

He crawled out of his cramped hiding place, congrat- 
ulated himself on his escape, took his bearings, and made 
a new start. He had not covered many miles ere the 
tire of the previous day's race, together with the sleep- 
less watchfulness of the last night, compelled him to 
stop and rest, so he lay down alongside a big log, threw 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 195 

his blanket over him, — head and all, — to keep off the 
mosquitoes, and went to sleep. He had not lain there 
long before he was awakened by a loud stamping and a 
whistling snort. He seized his hatcliet, thumped it over 
a stone, and a clatter of heels told him that the herd of 
deer, which had disturbed his slumbers, were off. He 
knew what they were as soon as he heard the peculiar 
snort. 

After his rest he renewed his journey, and on reaching 
a large stream was startled by seeing a man coming up 
the opposite bank. At first he thought him an Indian, 
but on a closer view saw that he was a white man. Then 
he disclosed himself, related his experiences, and asked 
the way to the nearest settlement. The man guided him 
to an English military post, where he was received and 
treated as a prisoner of war, but was soon thereafter 
exchanged. Shortly after his return he enlisted as a Con- 
tinental, and became a member of the "4th N. Y. Reg- 
iment of the Line" (Regulars), and served till honor- 
ably discharged. 

It was apparently before the Revolutionary war that 
he had the following adventure. While roaming the 
woods, and evidently far from home, he espied a party 
of Indians coming down the banks of a stream, near 
which he chanced to be. On their closer approach he 
noticed that one of them was carrying a white baby, 
which they had, no doubt, stolen away from its mother. 
He revealed himself, and soon saw them trying to still 
the infant's cries, and satisfy its hunger by feeding it 
some water, into which they had steeped or soaked some 
crushed hickory-nut meats. He succeeded in buying the 
baby of them, perhaps for a little powder and tobacco, 
and then he took it into the first white man's cabin he 



196 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

came across and gave it into the hands of a motherly 
woman, who cared for it, but who, on ultimately finding 
its parents, gave them back their lost baby. 

Joseph Welch emigrated from Ireland, and came to 
Saratoga (Schuylerville) about 1770. For some time he 
worked for General Schuyler. He was a shoe-maker 
by trade. After the Revolution he leased a farm of the 
General, made a clearing, built a log house, and settled 
down for life. His farm was the one now owned by J. 
E. McEckron, in the angle formed by the road to Gran- 
gerville and the back road to Bacon hill. He married 
a Miss Bowen; they had a large family, and are the 
ancestors of the numerous Schuylerville Welches. The 
old patriot and his wife are buried in the Finch bury- 
ing ground up near the monument. 

We obtained these facts from Mrs. Isaac Bemis, of 
Bacon Hill, a granddaughter of Joseph Welch, and who 
heard them from the lips of the old man while sitting on 
his knee as a little child, and also from John B. Welch, 
a great-grandson. 

Neilson's Encounter with the Big Indian 

The two following anecdotes are selected from "Bur- 
goyne's Campaign," by Charles Neilson. His father, 
John Neilson, owned the property and buildings at the 
north-west angle of the American works at Bemis 
Heights, and from whom it was named Fort Neilson. 
The property is still in the Neilson family. 

This first event must have been nearly coincident with 
the preceding ones. The writer says : "About this 
time, small parties of Indians were seen prowling about 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 197 

the vicinity, of whom my father and a few resolute fel- 
lows had been in pursuit. On their return, he had occa- 
sion, Avhile the others passed on, to call at a Mr. Ezekiel 
Ensign's, who afterwards, and for a number of years, 
kept a public house a little north of Wilbur's Basin. 
While sitting there, about nine o'clock in the evening, in 
conversation with ]\Ir. Ensign, a ferocious-looking giant- 
like Indian, armed and accoutred in the usual costume of 
an aboriginal warrior, ushered himself into the room, 
and after eying them sharply for a moment, he, with one 
hand drew from his belt a huge tomahawk, which he 
flourished about his head in true Indian style, and with 
the other a long scalping-knife, with which he exhibited, 
in pantomime, his dexterous manner of taking scalps. At 
the same time, with eyes flashing fire, and turning alter- 
nately from one to the other, as they sat in opposite direc- 
tions, he accompanied his daring acts in broken English 
with threats of instant death if they attempted to move 
or speak. Ensign being crippled in one arm, having at 
some former time accidentally received a charge of shot 
through his shoulder, and feeling his own weakness, 
should resistance become necessary, and being in momen- 
tary expectation of receiving the fatal blow, became 
fixed and immovable in his chair with a countenance of 
ashy paleness. On the other hand, my father being a 
man of great muscular strength, and of uncommon agil- 
ity, and having had many encounters with the Indians, 
for which they owed him a grudge, prepared himself 
with much presence of mind for a desperate encounter. 
To this end, while the Indian would momentarily direct 
his attention to Ensign, he would imperceptibly and by 
degrees turn himself in the chair, and in this manner 



1 98 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

would, from time to time, keep silently moving, by little 
and little, until he succeeded in placing himself in a posi- 
tion in which he could grasp, with both hands, the back 
of his chair. Thus situated, and knowing the lives of 
both of them depended altogether on his own exertions, 
he watched his opportunity, and the moment the Indian 
turned his eye from him he grasped the chair and, with 
almost the rapidity of lightning, sprang upon his feet, 
whirled the chair over his head, and aimed at him a des- 
perate blow; but the chair raking the ceiling above, and 
the Indian at the same time dodging the blow, he missed 
him. The Indian, having recovered his position, imme- 
diately sprang with a hideous yell, and with his toma- 
hawk uplifted, ready to strike the fatal blow. But before 
he could effect his direful purpose, the chair was brought 
around the second time, and with redoubled force, 
athwart his head and shoulders, which brought him to 
the floor. 

"No sooner had he fallen than his assailant, dropping 
the chair, sprang upon him and wrenched from his firm 
grasp the dreadful weapons of death ; and would have 
disabled him on the spot, had not Ensign begged of him 
not to kill him in the house. He then, holding him in 
his firm grasp, called for a rope, and then, with the assist- 
ance of Ensign, he succeeded, though not without a 
dreadful struggle, in binding the savage monster. By 
this time two neighbors, who had been alarmed by some 
female of the family, came in, when he was shut up in an 
outhouse, and left under their guard." But while they 
slept he managed to escape, to the extreme disgust of his 
captor.^*^^ 



103 This farm is still owned by a descendant of Ezekiel Ensign. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 199 

CHAPTER XIX 

Anecdotes — Continued 
Capture of the British Picket by Yuung Farmers 

Between the first and second battles, and "while the 
two armies were thus encamped near each other, about 
twenty of the most resolute inhabitants in the vicinity 
collected together for the purpose of having a frolic, as 
they termed it, of some kind or other. After their 
arrival at the place of rendezvous, and a number of prop- 
ositions had been discussed, they finally concluded, with 
more courage than prudence, that by a coup de main 
they would go and bring in one of the British advanced 
pickets, which was posted on the north bank of the Mid- 
dle ravine. Having with much formality selected their 
several officers, and furnished themselves with suitable 
arms and other equipments, they marched off in ir-regu- 
lar military style. Thus they ventured forth about ten 
o'clock at night, fully determined to conquer or die in the 
glorious cause of their beloved country. 

"As they approached within musket-shot distance of 
their unsuspecting enemy, they formed themselves in 
order of battle, and advanced in three grand divisions; 
one by a circuitous route, to gain their rear, while the 
other two posted themselves on their flanks. After 
giving time for each party to gain their several positions, 
the resolute captain, who was prepared for the purpose, 
gave the preconcerted signal by a deafening blast on an 
old horse trumpet, when all with fearless step, 'rushed 
bravely' on with clattering arms, through rustling leaves 
and crackling brush, with the usual parade of a hundred 



200 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

men. As they closed in, the leader of each division, 
in a bold and commanding voice, and before the guard 
could say : 'Who comes there ?' called, or rather bawled 
out, 'Ground your arms, or you are all dead men !' 
Supposing they were surrounded by a much superior 
force, and deeming resistance of no avail, the officer of 
the guard gave the orders, when their arms were imme- 
diately grounded, and the thirty British soldiers sur- 
rendered themselves 'prisoners of war' to only two-thirds 
of their number, and those undisciplined American 
farmers." 

The following is related by Wilkinson in his Memoirs : 
"Prior to the action of the 19th [Sept.], Lieutenant 
Hardin had been detached with a light party to the rear 
of the British army to take a prisoner and pick up intelli- 
gence. On his return, near Saratoga, on the 22d, he met 
an Indian courier in a path on the summit of a sharp 
ridge [south of Victory Mills]. They were within a few 
paces when they caught sight of each other, presented 
and fired at the same instant ; the Indian fell, and Hardin 
escaped with a scratch of his antagonist's ball on his left 
side. Letters of Burgoyne to Powell, and several others, 
were found in the shot pouch of the dead Indian, and 
delivered by the Lieutenant to Gates at headquarters." 

The Saving of the Old Dutch Church 

The following incidents are taken from the Sexagenary : 
"It was the 8th of October, if I am not mistaken, [the 
9th], that Burgoyne's retreat was first discovered. The 
news created an intoxication of joy in the American 
camp. My father being well mounted and anxious to 
see everything that could be seen, and also having a 
thorough knowledge of the country roads, proposed to 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 201 

two friends, Mr. (Dirck?) Swart, and Mr. Schuyler, 
[not the General], to go forward for the purpose of 
obtaining intelligence. They started, taking a private 
road which came out at Saratoga opposite the church, 
[which then stood in the fork of the river and Victory 
roads, south of the creek], and there, at a short distance 
from them, actually saw the British troops passing by. 
In consequence of their excessive fatigue and a tremen- 
dous rain, they were all day getting there. My father 
always claimed the credit with his companions for having 
saved the old church from being burned. A soldier was 
seen approaching it with fire when they shouted to the 
man with all their might. He dropped the brand and 
ran off. They in the same instant turned their horses 
into the woods, and made off at full speed. My father, 
although he arrived late that afternoon in the camp, 
obtained a fresh horse, and reached Albany at 11 o'clock 
that night, bringing the joyful news of Burgoyne's 
retreat." 

Return to Saratoga 

"The intelligence brought by my father [Peter Becker] 
was indeed joyful to us. He ordered the black to get 
three horses ready, early in the morning, to take us back 
to Saratoga. Early as the day dawned, all were on the 
move, but my mother, who remained behind. We met 
on the road great numbers of wounded men, belonging 
to both armies. A great many were carried on litters, 
which were blankets fastened to a frame of four poles. 
I never saw the effects of war until now. In camp there 
was something of 'pomp and circumstance,' which rather 
animated than depressed the spirits. But the sight of 
these wretched people, pale and lifeless, with counte- 



202 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

nances of an expression peculiar to gun-shot wounds, as 
the surgeons have truly informed us, and the sound of 
groaning voices, as each motion of the litter renewed 
the anguish of their wounds, filled me with horror and 
sickness of heart. And is public happiness then bought 
at the price of individual wretchedness? Must blood 
and tears and sorrow be the result of even the most just 
and righteous controversies? The human heart, 'a 
tangled yarn,' brings a curse on its own plans. 

"We reached the American camp, and drove through 
it to the bank of the river, opposite my uncle's farm. We 
got out and walked along the bank to see if there was any 
chance to get across. My father luckily recognized a 
Captain Knute, of the bateaumen, who kindly offered us 
the use of a scow, and indeed saw us safely over the 
river. We drove that night to our own home. But, oh, 
how much changed ! It looked like a military post, to 
which use it was actually converted. A thousand eastern 
militia were quartered around the premises. We began 
to think we had not gained much by coming on at this 
juncture." They secured lodgings in their house that 
night, however. "The next day brought its variety ; we 
discovered that our fellow lodgers were troops from 
Shefiield, Mass., and, if I remember right, were some 
of those militiamen who refused to stay with the army 
until Burgoyne should be compelled to surrender." 

The Cannonade of the Old Dutch Church 

Young Becker, with a companion, made numerous 
excursions over to the American camp "to see what was 
going on." On one of these trips the following occurred : 
"Every moment the scene was growing more interesting. 
As we came near the main body of the enemy, which we 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 203 

approached within three-fourths of a mile, and while we 
were looking round to observe the movements of the dif- 
ferent detachments about us, which we could do very 
distinctly, we observed a flash from a cannon, and almost 
instantly saw a ball come out of the Saratoga church, 
apparently deadened by the resistance it had met. It 
passed over our heads, with a slight whizzing, and 
struck in the bank behind us, at the distance of three 
hundred yards. In a few moments another, its fellow, 
passed through the church in the same manner, and 
struck in the bank behind us.^°^ I judged that the range 
of these shots was about a mile. The church long ex- 
hibited the marks of the balls; but it was pulled down 
some years ago, [1822] and another of more modern 
appearance is now devoted, in its place, to religious 
worship. We did not remain in our position longer. 
We concluded that we had seen enough for the present." 

The Capture of Burgoyne's Horses 

"An anecdote recurs to my recollection_, which shows 
the daring of our soldiers. It is well known that the 
east side of the river was lined with militia. One of 
them discovered a number of the enemy's horses feeding 
in the meadow of General Schuyler's, opposite ; he asked 
permission of his captain to go over and get one of them. 
It was given, and the man instantly stripped, and swam 
across the river. He ascended the bank, and, selecting 
a bay horse for his victim., approached the animal, seized 
him, and mounted him instantly. This last was the work 
of a moment. He forced the horse into a gallop, plunged 

"'' These shots must have been fired from the battery stationed on the 
bluff at what is now called "Seeleyville." From statements made by various 
writers of the time, we conclude that the banks of the river and creek 
were then practically free from trees. 



204 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

down the bank, and brought him safely over to the 
American camp, although a volley of musketry was fired 
at him from a party posted at a distance beyond. His 
success was hailed with enthusiasm, and it had a corres- 
ponding effect on his own adventurous spirit. After he 
had rested himself, he went to his officer and remarked, 
that it was hardly fitting that a private should ride 
a-horseback while his commander went on foot. 'So, sir, 
if you have no objections, I will go and catch another for 
you, and next winter when we are home, we will have 
our fun driving a pair of Burgine's horses.' The cap- 
tain seemed to agree with him, and gave a ready consent. 
The fellow actually went across a second time, and with 
equal success brought over a horse that matched exceed- 
ingly well with the other. The men all enjoyed this 
prank very much, and it was a circumstance familiar to 
almost every one in the army at that time." 

Romance of the Maguires 

"During the time of the cessation of arms, while the 
articles of capitulation were preparing, the soldiers of the 
two armies often saluted, and talked with each other 
from opposite banks of the river. Among the British 
was a soldier of the 9th regiment [which had its camp 
just south of the monument] named Maguire, who came 
down to the river side with a number of his companions, 
and engaged in conversation with a party of Americans 
on the further shore. In a short time something was 
observed to strike the mind of the Hibernian very forc- 
ibly. He suddenly jumped up and darted like a flash 
down the bank and into the river. At the same moment 
one of the American soldiers seized with a like impulse, 
resolutelv dashed into the water. The wondering sol- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 205 

diers beheld them eagerly swim toward the middle of 
the river, where they met. Fortunately it was shallow 
enough for them to stand on the bottom. They embraced, 
and hung on each other's necks and wept ; and the loud 
cries of 'my brother ! my dear brother ! !' soon cleared up 
the mystery to the astonished onlookers. Indeed they 
were brothers ; one had emigrated to America, while the 
other had entered the British army, and unbeknown to 
themselves had been engaged in mortal combat against 
each other."^''^ 

Reminiscences of the Surrender 

On the day of the surrender the "Sexagenary," being 
only a boy, was allowed by some good-natured officers 
to get very near to the tent, or marquee, of General 
Gates, where he had an opportunity to witness what 
there occurred. He, boy like, watched his chance to peep 
into the tent while the generals were at dinner. He 
relates the following, among others things he saw: "At 
the moment they [the British troops] stepped foot 
within our lines, our drums and music struck up ' Yankee 
Doodle.' At this moment the two generals came out 
together. The American commander faced the road, 
and Burgoyne did the same, standing on his left. Not 
a word was said by either, and for some minutes, to the 
best of my recollection, they stood silently gazing on the 
scene before them. The one, no doubt, in^all the pride 
of honest success ; the other, the victim of regret and sens- 
ibility. Burgoyne was a large and stoutly-formed man, 
his countenance was rough and hard, and somewhat 
marked with scars, if I am not mistaken, but he had a 



1"= Stone's Campaign of Burgoyne. 



2o6 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

handsome figure and a noble air. Gates was a smaller 
man with much less of manner, and destitute of that air 
which distinguished Burgoyne." His description of the 
delivery of the sword tallies with that already given. 
He next describes the captured troops as they passed. 
He says: "I saw the whole body pass before me. The 
light infantry, in advance, were extraordinary men. 
Finer and better looking troops I never saw. They were 
not seen to much advantage, however, for their small 
clothes [stockings] and gaiters having been wet in the 
creek, the dusti°*'' adhered to them in consequence. Some 
of the officers were very elegant men. 

"The Hessians came lumbering in the rear. I looked 
at these men with commiseration. It was well known 
that their services had been sold by their own petty 
princes, that they were collected together, if not caught 
at their churches, and if we may credit the account given 
us, they were actually torn from their homes and handed 
over to the British government at so much a head, to be 
transported across the ocean and wage war against a 
people of whose history, and even of whose existence, 
they were ignorant. Many of them deserted to our 
army before and after the convention of Saratoga. Fifty 
have been known to come over in one party before the 
surrender. 

"A very remarkable disease prevailed among them, if 
the accounts of some respectable officers attached to Bur- 
goyne's army may be credited. While on their way down 
from Canada a presentiment would take possession of 
twenty or thirty of them at a time that they were going 
to die, and that they would never again see their father- 

106 The "d^ist" proves that they had clear weather at the time of the 
surrender. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 207 

land. The impression could not be effaced from their 
minds, notwithstanding every exertion of their officers 
and the administering of medicines. A homesickness of 
the most fatal kind oppressed their spirits and destroyed 
their health; and a large number actually died of this- 
disorder of the heart. 

"The Hessians were extremely dirty in their persons, 
and had a collection of wild animals in their train — the 
only thing American they had captured. Here you saw 
an artilleryman leading a black bear, who every now and 
then would rear upon his hind legs as if he were tired of 
going upon all fours, or occasionally growl his disappro- 
bation at being pulled along by a chain. In the same 
manner a tamed deer would be seen tripping lightly after 
a grenadier. Young foxes were also observed looking 
sagaciously at the spectators from the top of a baggage 
wagon, or a young raccoon securely clutched under the 
arm of a sharpshooter. 

"On the evening of the surrender a number of Indians 
and squaws, the relics of Burgoyne's aboriginal force, 
were brought over for safe keeping to my uncle's farm, 
and quartered under a strong guard in the kitchen. 
Without this precaution their lives would not have been 
safe from the exasperated militia. The murder of Miss 
M'Crea was but one of a number of their atrocities which 
hardened every heart against them, and prevented the 
plea of mercy from being interposed in their behalf. 
Among those savages were three that were between six 
and seven feet in height, perfect giants in form, and pos- 
sessing the most ferocious countenances I ever saw. 
[Neilson claims that the big Indian with whom his father 
had his life and death struggle at Ensign's was one of 
these.] 



2o8 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

"It was three days after the surrender that our camp 
began to be broken up. The militia were assiduous in 
exploring the fields for plunder and the concealed treas- 
ure of the vanquished. Immense quantities of camp 
furniture and fragments of every description were 
strewed about, 'and they spoiled the Egyptians.' Oppo- 
site our own house my father found a large number of 
hides and a considerable quantity of tallow. This, how- 
ever, neither graced his store nor greased his boots. Our 
friends, the irregulars, spared him the trouble of carrying 
them home. In this way closed the eventful history of 
Saratoga. Blood and carnage were succeeded by success 
and plunder. My father once more commenced the 
labors of a husbandman, and aftei preparing the ground 
in a great hurry, and sowing his winter wheat, went off 
to Albany to bring home his wife." 

Jacob Koons Gets Even with Burgoyne 

The following story was furnished the writer by Mr. 
John W. Koons, of Quaker Springs, township of Sara- 
toga, a grandson of the hero of the tale : 

Jacob Koons was born in Dutchess county, N. Y. His 
parents came from Holland and were among the first 
settlers in that part of the State. Jacob, when a young 
man, removed to Rensselaer county, and there married 
one Polly Wheeler, of the town of Brunswick. When 
the war of the Revolution broke out he was among the 
first to enlist in the American army. Koons was taken 
prisoner, with about a hundred and fifty others, doubt- 
less in some engagement connected with General Mont- 
gomery's expedition into Canada^ and was incarcerated 
at Quebec. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 209 

After Burgoyne landed in the spring of 1777, equipped 
for his expedition down the Hudson valley, and while he 
tarried at Quebec, he w^ould, every few days, assemble 
all the American prisoners, and for their entertainment 
and worriment, would point to his fine army, then on 
parade, and tell them what he was about to do. He was 
going to march down through their country, join St. 
Leger at Albany, and there celebrate Christmas with a 
big feast. But while he was working his way down the 
lake and through the woods toward his goal, Koons 
with others was exchanged as prisoners and had rejoined 
his command. He was present at the surrender of Bur- 
goyne at Schuylerville, and, fortunately for him, was 
placed as a sentinel before the General's tent. This 
was doubtless at Wilbur's Basin, on the night of the 17th 
of October, after the surrender, on his way down to 
Albany. Koons, being a pretty plucky Dutchman, 
watched his chance, and boldly reminded the General of 
the boastful language he had used to the American pris- 
oners at Quebec, about his proposed conquering march 
through the country and eating his Christmas dinner in 
Albany. This tradition doesn't relate how Burgoyne 
received this, what he no doubt regarded as an imperti- 
nence, from a common soldier. 

Jacob Koons had two sons, John and David. John 
Koons entered the army in the war of 18 12, and was 
wounded at the battle of Chryslers Fields. To John 
Koons was born seven sons, five of whom, filled with the 
patriotic enthusiasm of their father, enlisted and fought 
for the preservation of the Union in the war of the Re- 
bellion. John W. Koons, who contributed this sketch, 
was a lieutenant in Company G of the 7th Reg. N. Y. S. 
Volunteers. 

14 



2IO THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Elbow Room for Burgoyne 

"I'll make the rebels give me plenty of elbow room 
when I get in Alban}^ !" was one of the many boasts 
uttered by Burgoyne on his way down from Ticonderoga, 
and which happened to be overheard by some one, who, 
besides being a rebel, was likewise guilty of eaves- 
dropping. 

By some means the above expression became known in 
Albany before his arrival. Generals Burgoyne and Rie- 
desel were riding side by side, attended by some Amer- 
ican generals. Many people had assembled from the 
surrounding country to witness the grand entree. 

As the cavalcade struck the pavement in North Market 
street (Broadway), there appeared suddenly, a little in 
advance of the generals, a witty, waggish son of the 
Emerald Isle, accompanied by a few kindred spirits. x\t 
once he began elbowing his comrades right and left and 
shouting with stentorian lungs : "Now, shure and ye'll 
shtand back an' giv' Gineral Bergine plenthy av ilbow 
room right here in Albany ! I say, ye darthy ribles, fall 
back an' giv' th' great Gineral room to come along here 
in Albany ! Och, fer hiven's sake, ye cowardly shpal- 
peens, do ye shtand aside to th' right and lift and make 
more ilbow room for Gineral Bergine or, by Saint Pat- 
rick, ril murther iv'ry mother's son av ye ! !" The proud 
General was not a little disconcerted and annoyed by 
these hard rubs of this Irish quidnunc, but apparently 
not so much as the German General. ^"^ 

Burgoyne was greatly astonished when, after halting 
and dismounting before a palatial residence, he was ush- 
ered into the presence of Mrs. Philip Schuyler, wife of the 

i**" Simm's Frontiersmen of New York. Vol. XL, p. 132. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 211 

General, and found that the man whom he had so greatly 
injured was to be his host. He afterward paid a glowing 
tribute to Schuyler's generosity in a fine speech delivered 
in the British Parliament. 

After the surrender, General Schuyler remained at 
Saratoga to look after his private affairs. He sent on 
Colonel Varrick to Mrs. Schuyler, in Albany, to announce 
the speedy coming of some guests from the vanquished 
army. He sent thither the Baroness Riedesel and her 
childreii in his own carriage, while Generals Burgoyne 
and Riedesel, and officers of their staffs, were escorted 
on horseback, the latter in company with General Glover. 
Mrs. Schuyler received these guests with her ac<.ustomed 
cordiality, and all of them, with the Baroness and her 
little ' daughters, were treated as friends and not as 
enemies. 

Not long after their arrival one of Madame Riedesel's 
little girls, after frolicking about the spacious and well- 
furnished mansion, ran up to her mother and, with all 
the simplicity of youthful innocence, inquired in Ger- 
man : "Mother, is this the palace father was to have when 
he came to America?" The blushing Baroness speedily 
silenced her child, for some of the family were present 
who could understand German. 

Saratoga After the Departure of the British 

It is certain that a good-sized force wintered here at 
Old Saratoga after the surrender, but it was withdrawn 
in the early spring and sent southward. This left the 
inhabitants hereabouts utterly defenseless, whereat Gen- 
eral Schuyler and many others protested vigorously.^°^ 
This was remedied soon afterwards. 



i°8 Public Papers of George Clinton. Vol. III., p. 177. 



2 12 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The Sexagenar}' has bequeathed us several interesting 
facts connected with that period. He says ; 

"During the winter, [of ly/y-'/S] notwithstanding 
the utter annihilation of anything like a regular and 
effective force by the capture of Burgoyne, yet the coun- 
try was considered liable to the incursions of small par- 
ties of the enemy. Among other things, the church at 
Saratoga was occupied as a public depot, and the com- 
missary in addition had it partitioned off inside and 
lived in it. Many a time have I seen barrels of pork 
and beef rolled in at the sacred porch, which so often had 
been proclaimed the gate of Heaven. One of the evils of 
war is the perversion of the most sacred things to the 
necessities of the moment. In Boston the famous Old 
South church was converted into a riding school by the 
British officers. A church in New York was made a 
prison for our sick and captured countrymen. The con- 
version of the church at Saratoga into a commissary's 
store was the only instance within my knowledge of a 
similar voluntary abuse by the Americans. [This was 
no doubt because the church was the only building of 
size left in the vicinity.] During the same winter. Gen- 
eral Schuyler had twenty-four men constantly in attend- 
ance at his residence as a life guard, and, if I am right in 
my recollection, during the remainder of the war." 

The Search for Cannon, etc. 

During the season of 1778 a part of the ist N. Y., Van 
Schaick's regiment, was stationed here. The troops 
were under the immediate command of Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Van Dyke. That summer. Colonel Ouackenboss of 
the quartermaster's department came up to Saratoga 
with boats and all proper equipments to look for cannon, 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 213 

which Bnrgoyne was supposed to have sunk in the river 
between the rapids and the mouth of Fishcreek. They 
hunted dihgently and the only thing found was a barrel 
of British smoked hams of royal quality. That same 
summer a militia captain from Schenectady, by the name 
of Clute, while swimming in the river where Quacken- 
boss had dragged, discovered a small brass howitzer. 
Calling on some of the neighboring farmers for help, he 
succeeded in landing it. He sold it to the government 
for a good round sum. It was then dragged up to 
the barracks. ^°^ In 1779 the above-mentioned force was 
relieved by a detachment, Avhose identity we have not 
been able to discover. 

Raids of Tories and Indians 

The following year, 1780, the inhabitants north of 
Albany and Schenectady were kept in continual alarm 
by the frequent raids of Indians and Tories from the 
north. It was the year when Ballston was pounced upon 
by Colonel Munro with two hundred followers, who cap- 
tured and carried into Canada Colonel Gordon and a num- 
ber of his neighbors. The Sexagenary writes of this time : 

"In Saratoga we continued constantly exposed to the 
harassing incursions. of the Tories and Indians. Almost 
the whole country was alarmed by them, and, with the 
subtilty peculiar to the savage intellect, they seemed to 
escape every attempt at capture. Often we have seen 
them running across the fields upon the opposite [west] 
side of the river, now stooping behind fences which 
afforded them a partial cover, and now boldly running 
across the open ground, where the fences were down, to 
some other enclosed field, along which they skulked as 

^"8 These facts are taken from the Sexagenary. 



214 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



before. During these alarms our neighbors used to 
come and Hve with us for weeks together, until the dan- 
ger was over. The principal men of the county had 
guards stationed at their dwellings." 

Colonel Van Veghten's Narrow Escape 

"One of our neighbors, a Colonel Van Veghten, who 
lived about three miles below the barracks [at Coveville], 
had a narrow escape about the same time. He was in 
the habit of riding from his own house up to General 
Schuyler's and to the barracks in order to receive and 
communicate intelligence. 

"Those acquainted with the road will remember the 
ravine and creek just before you reach the [Dutch 
Reformed] church. [It is just south of what is now 
called Chubb's canal bridge.] In this ravine, concealed 
behind the trees, a Tory placed himself to shoot Van 
Veghten as he passed, who had rendered himself obnox- 
ious to the partisans of the English by his constant assi- 
duity in the service of his country. As he approached, 
mounted on his favorite gray, the assassin raised his gun 
to fire. His finger was on the trigger, when, as he after- 
wards confessed, the bold and manly air which Van 
Veghten possessed, joined to his unsuspecting manner, 
unnerved his arm. The weapon of death dropped from 
its position, and Colonel Van Veghten rode by unharmed. 
It so happened, however, that an alarm, which was given 
while he was at Saratoga, about a body of Indians and 
Tories having been seen, induced him to take the river 
road on his way home, and to give it the preference ever 
afterwards. "^^° 



11" This indicates tliat there was a road at the time of and before the 
Revolution, near the river bank, as there still is north of Wilber's Basin, 
and used to be between Wilber's Basin and Bemis Heights. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



The Dog Gagged by a Garter 



215 



The following incident was related to the writer 
by Mrs. E. M. McCoy, daughter of the late George 
Strover : 

Her grandfather, John Strover, lived on his farm, over 
near Br3^ant's bridge, during those precarious times. The 
refuge selected for his family in case of danger was a 
sort of cave under the bank of the creek, and not far 
from the house. This could be entered only at low water 
during the summer. One day, being warned of the 
approach of Tories and Indians, she, with her children 
and a little dog, ran to the cave. For fear lest the dog, 
a noisy little cur, should bark and betray their hiding- 
place, she took off her knitted garter and wrapped 
it tightly around his muzzle. It proved to be a 
most effective gag, and they escaped without being- 
discovered. 

Dunham's Daring Capture of Lovelass, the Spy 

It was during this or the previous season that the fol- 
lowing incident occurred. Thomas Lovelass, a bold, 
resolute, and powerful man, was a noted leader among 
the Tories. He had succeeded in the capture of a 
number of his neighbors and in the destruction of much 
property among the patriots, and was considered a most 
dangerous partisan. 

A goodly number of the people hereabouts were attend- 
ing some entertainment or social function. While 
there, a boy was seen to emerge from the woods on 
horseback, and then riding up to the house asked if he 
could buy some rum there. On being answered. No, he 



2i6 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

went on down the river road. Among those present 
who observed him were Colonel Van Veghten and Cap- 
tain Hezekiah Dunham. Dunham was a captain of 
militia, and a man of large influence among his neigh- 
bors. There was something in the behavior of the boy 
which aroused their suspicions, so he decided to watch 
the outcome. In a little while the boy was seen to ride 
back up the road at full speed, re-enter the woods and 
vanish. Dunham turned to Colonel Van Veghten and 
said : "The enemy is near us, the Tories are in the neigh- 
borhood, and not far off." They separated with a deter- 
mination to act immediately. Dunham, when he reached 
home, went to see a person by the name of Green, who 
was a kindred spirit and a great leader among his neigh- 
bors. On relating the circumstance to him, they went 
and got three other men, and with these started out on the 
search. Every suspected place was carefully examined. 
They continued the search until near daylight without 
avail, when they separated ; Green and one man going in 
one direction, and Dunham, with two, taking another 
course. The latter, as a last resort, returned to the house 
of one Odeurman, who he believed would be in com- 
munication with an enemy, if near him. Near the house 
they discovered a path leading through a meadow toward 
a thicket about three acres in size. At once they sus- 
pected that this led to the object of their search. Fol- 
lowing it they passed nearly around the thicket, when it 
entered the bush. Toward the center a big log blocked 
the way ; on peeping over it cautiously there, sure enough, 
was the remains of a camp-fire and a group of five fierce- 
looking men. They were in the act of putting on their 
shoes and stockings. And one thing more which Dun- 
ham particularly observed was a musket by the side of 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 217 

every man, ready for instant service. He drew back, 
reported to his companions and in a whisper asked, 
"Shall we take 'em?" A nod of assent was the answer; 
then moving forward to the log, they all mounted at the 
same instant, and Dunham shouted, "Surrender, or you 
are all dead men !" All of them but their leader seemed 
petrified by the suddenness of the apparition. He was not 
disposed to yield without an effort at defense. Twice 
he was reaching for his gun when he found Dunham's 
rifle ominously near his head, at which he prudently 
desisted. They were then ordered out, one by one, 
when they were securely bound. Immediately they were 
marched off to the barracks at Saratoga. 

They were tried and condemned at a court martial, of 
which the celebrated General Stark was the president. 
Lovelass alone was adjudged worthy of death, as he was 
considered too dangerous a man to be allowed to escape. 
In defense, he protested that he had been taken with arms 
in his hand, and ought therefore to be accounted a pris- 
oner of war. But the court was inexorable.^^^ 

He was hung on the top of the gravel hill, just south 
of the Horicon mill, which then extended beyond the 
present highway to the east. The traditional spot is 
just east of the angle made by the picket and board fences 
and across the road from the brick house. He was buried 
in an upright position. John Strover was present and 
marked the spot. He told his son, George, about it, and 
when the bank was excavated for the Whitehall turn- 
pike he was on hand and identified the skeleton. The 
skull of the Tory is preserved by Mrs. J. H. Lowber in 
the Schuyler mansion. 



^1^ Al-ridged from the Sexagenary's account. 



2i8 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

CHAPTER XX 

War of 1812 and the Civil War 

The war of 18 12, our second war for independence 
with old England, naturally aroused a great deal of inter- 
est in this quarter, and awakened not a little apprehension 
among the dwellers in this valley. For they knew not 
but they might be called upon to undergo a repetition 
of the sacrifices and sufferings of the fathers in Revolu- 
tionary days. But fortunately for them, the scenes 
of actual warfare, in this department, were confined to 
the northern end of Lake Champlain. The glorious 
naval victory of Macdonough in Cumberland bay, and of 
General McComb at Plattsburgh, on September 11, 1814, 
put an effectual end to British attempts at entering the 
country through this ancient gateway. It is interesting 
to note in passing that Macdonough's flagship was named 
the Saratoga; and right worthily did she behave herself 
that day, under her heroic commander, brightening the 
halo of glory which already surrounded the name. This 
locality sent its full quota of soldiery at that time to aid 
in the general defense. No armies of size passed up 
through this way during that war, as was expected, and 
even feared. 

The Civil War 

Fourscore years after our Revolutionary fathers had 
^'brought forth on this continent a new nation, con- 
ceived in liberty and dedicated to the" realization of the 
proposition that all men's inalienable rights should be 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 219 

acknowledged and defended by the government under 
which they hve, we found ourselves engaged in a great 
civil war, "testing whether that nation, or any nation, 
so conceived, and so dedicated, could long endure." 

Splendid Exhibitton of Patriotism 

Many at the time believed that the spirit of patriotism 
was practically dead in our land, and when brought to 
the test, few would be found ready to venture "their 
lives, their fortunes, or their sacred honor," in the 
"deadly breach" for the preservation of the nation's life. 
But when the crisis arrived, it was found that love of 
country, so far from being dead in the hearts of the 
people, exhibited a more vigorous life than had ever yet 
been seen; that when the people found themselves face 
to face with the awful question of union or dis-union and 
our ultimate disintegration as a nation, their patriotism 
arose to such a pitch of enthusiasm that they counted no 
sacrifice too great, if only by such sacrifice tlie nation's 
life could be preserved. 

The way in which the people of the North arose to the 
occasion when the news spread that the flag had been 
fired on, and blood had been spilt by traitorous hands, 
affords one of the grandest and most thrilling spectacles 
in the history of the nations. 

New York State stood second to none of her eighteen 
sisters, at the North, in the ardor with which she devoted 
her sons and poured forth her treasure to insure a suffi- 
ciency of force with which to repel the invader, and 
crush out the rebellion. No county in the State excelled 
Saratoga in the alacrity with which she responded to 
every call made upon her to take up and bear her share 



2 20 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

of the burdens, and no township in the county was repre- 
sented by a larger proportion of her sons on the perilous 
edge of battle than was Old Saratoga. 

"Bull Run'" Dispels an Illusion 

The first troops that hastened to the defense of the 
Nation's capital, when menaced by the insurgents, were 
the militia regiments, which were already old organiza- 
tions. Soon President Lincoln felt constrained to issue a 
call for 64,000 men for the army and 18,000 for the navy, 
in the belief that the insurrection could be c[uelled in a 
hundred clays. Quite a number from this township 
responded to that call. But the disastrous battle of 
Bull Run effectually dispelled the illusion that the rebel- 
lion could be easily, or speedily, put down, and wrought 
mightily in awakening the country to the gravity of the 
situation. Soon the President issued a proclamation 
calling for 300,000 men to serve for three years, or dur- 
ing the war. 

Judge McKean's Call to Arms 

The Hon. Jauies B. McKean, of Saratoga Springs, 
the representative in Congress from this district at that 
time, issued the following stirring circular to his con- 
stituents : 

"Fellow Citizens of the Fifteenth Congressional 
District : — Traitors in arms seek to overthrow our con- 
stitution and to seize our capital.' Let us go and help 
to defend them. Who will despond because we lost the 
battle of Bull Run? Our fathers lost the battle of Bun- 
ker Hill, but it taught them how to gain the victory at 
Bemis Heights. 

"Let us learn wisdom from disaster, and send over- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 221 

whelming numbers into the field. Let farmers, mechan- 
ics, merchants, and all classes — for the liberties of all 
are at stake — aid in organizing companies. I will cheer- 
fully assist in procuring the necessary papers. Do not 
misunderstand me. I am not asking for an office at your 
hands. If you who have most at stake will go, I will 
willingly go with you as a private soldier. 

"Let us organize a Bemis Heights Battalion, and vie 
Vv'ith each other in serving our country, thus showing 
that we are inspired by the holy memories of the Revo- 
lutionary battle fields upon and near which we are living. 

"James B. McKean. 

"Saratoga Springs, August 21, 1861." 

Judge McKean followed this up by a campaign of 
patriotic speeches throughout his district. At once the 
young men began to enlist by scores and hundreds, and 
military companies were organized here and there and 
began to drill. Soon Saratoga Springs was appointed 
as a recruiting station and rendezvous. The fair-ground 
was appropriated for the camp, and was christened Camp 
Schuyler. Thither the recruits were sent, and by the 
middle of November, 1861, had been drilled into some 
semblance of a regiment. 

Judge IVlcKean was fittingly selected as colonel of the 
regiment, and he proved to be a most excellent selection. 
At first this body called itself the Bemis Heights Bat- 
talion, but in the numbering of the regiments of the State, 
the number yy fell to it, which, considering the fact 
that it was chiefly raised and recruited in Saratoga 
county, and that the great battle of Bemis Heights, or 
Saratoga, was fought in 1777, that number seemed emi- 
nently appropriate. 



22 2 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1861, the regi- 
ment marched out of camp, 864 strong, and started for 
Washington, where it arrived December ist. On the 
T5th of February following, it joined the 3rd Brigade, 
of the 2nd Division, of the 6th Army Corps, which con- 
nection it retained throughout the whole period of its ser- 
vice. Immediately on coming into close proximity with 
the enemy, the usual sifting process began. The pol- 
troons and cowards got out on one pretext or another, 
leaving only the true hearts and brave to face the music. 
But fortunately the latter were in the vast majority. 

Hardships Decimate the Regiment 

The regiment received its tirst baptism of fire at Lee's 
Mills, Va., on the 4th of April, 1862. But that proved 
to be only the preliminary skirmish of many a hard- 
fought battle. The Peninsular Campaign, which immed- 
iately followed, with its hardships of mud marches, and 
battles, and camp fevers, sadly decimated the regiment. 
Because of this, some of the most efficient officers were 
sent back to recruit the depleted ranks. Colonel 
McKean, among others, lost his health and was forced 
to retire. 

SCHUYLERVILLE RAISES A CoMPANY 

At that time Schuylerville greatly distinguished her- 
self by raising an entire company of men, which became 
known ■ as Company K of the 77th. The first ten men 
received a bounty of ten dollars apiece. Those who 
enlisted afterward received all the way from fifty to 
three hundred dollars, bounty money. The company 
chose for its captain, John R. Rockwell, then editor of 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 223. 

the Saratoga American (the local paper). First lieu- 
tenant, William H. Fursman ; second lieutenant, Cyrus 
F. Rich. This company by no means represented all 
that went from this townsliip ; for no less than 340 
marched from this historic town to the defense of the 
Union. Three-fourths of them, however, were members 
of the 77th, and shared in the glory of her achievements. 
Colonel W. B. French became commander of the regi- 
ment after the retirement of Colonel McKean. Quite 
a number of the men from this township served in other 
distinguished regiments, as the 30th and the 44th, also 
in other arms of the service. 

List of Battles in Which the 77TH Participated 

The history of the achievements and experiences of 
each of these regiments, especially the 77th, and the 
famous Sixth Corps, of which it formed a part, is well 
vv'orthy of the volumes that have been written upon them. 
Dr. George T. Stevens' history of the 77th is specially 
worthy of perusal. To that and other works we would 
refer the interested reader for details. We must give 
space, however, to the following important facts: The 
77th served under McClellan, Burnside, Hooker, Meade 
and Grant, each of whom for a time had command of the 
Army of the Potomac. It went through the Peninsular 
Campaign in 1862, the Campaign of 1863, which took it 
again into Virginia and afterward into Alaryland and 
Pennsylvania. In 1864 it served for a time in the Wil- 
derness Campaign under Grant ; but after Spottsylvania 
it was withdrawn with the Sixth Corps for the defense 
of Washington ; thence it was sent into the Shenandoah 
Valley, where it served through that remarkable cam- 
paign under Sheridan, participating in the battles of 



2 24 ^^^^ STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Winchester and especially of Cedar Creek, where a rein- 
forcement of one man (Sheridan) turned ignominious 
defeat into a glorious victory. 

The 77th was in the following battles : 

Lee's Mills, April 4, 1862. 
Williamsburg, May 5, 1862. 
Mechanicsville, May 24, 1862. 
Golding's Farm, June 5, 1862. 
Garnett's Hill, June 28, 1862. 
Savage Station, June 29, 1862. 
White Oak Swamp, June 30, 1862. 
Malvern Hill, July i, 1862. 
Crampton Gap, September 14, 1862. 
Antietam, September 17, 1862. 
Fredericksburgh, December 13, 1862. 
St. Marye's Heights, May 3. 1863.. 
Franklin's Crossing, June 5, 1863. 
Gettysburg, July 2 and 3, 1863. 
Spottsylvania, May 10, 1864. 
Defense of Washington, July 13, 1864. 
Winchester, September 19, 1864. 
Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864. 

It was at Cedar Creek that the stand made by the 6th 
Corps, of which the 77th formed a part, saved the day, 
and was holding the Confederates in check when Sheri- 
dan arrived on the scene — "From Winchester, twenty 
miles away." 

Mustered Out 

Says Colonel French, in his sketch of the 77th, "Witk 
this grand and wonderful battle, the fighting experience 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



225 



of the 77th regiment closed, and its term of service hav- 
ing expired, it was ordered to Saratoga Springs to be 
mustered out, where it arrived on the 23rd of November, 
1864, just three years after the day of its mustering in. 
The regiment of 105 men and 14 officers, all that returned 
of the 1,369 that had served with it, was received with 
all the love and honor a patriotic people could bestow. 
They were received by a series of speeches in the public 
hall, and were then treated to a splendid banquet, ten- 
dered by the citizens of Saratoga Springs, at the Amer- 
ican hotel." [So much of Company K as returned at this 
time to Schuylerville, after having marched through the 
streets, were given a collation by the ladies of the Re- 
formed church.] 

"This is the history in brief of Saratoga county's pet 
regiment, the 77th, a record of noble deeds without a 
single blot. It never, by any act on the field or in the 
camp, on the march or in the fight, disgraced the county 
from which it was sent. It never flinched or wavered 
from any duty, however perilous, which was assigned 
to it, nor until properly ordered, did it ever turn its back 
upon the foe. From the beginning to the end of its ser- 
vice the regiment bore its colors untouched by the hand of 
the enemy. They were often shattered and torn by shot 
and shell, often leveled to the dust by the death or 
wound of their bearers, but they were always kept sacred, 
and on the muster out of the regiment, were deposited 
in the Bureau of Military Statistics at Albany." 

What Colonel French has said of the 77th could be 
said with equal truth, we are assured, of the other regi- 
ments which were partially recruited from the town of 
Saratoga. 

15 



226 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Suffering and Sacrifices of the Wives and Mothers 

Thus we see that many of the boys who marched forth 
returned no more forever ; those who came back were 
greatly changed. The health of many was shattered. 
Some were maimed and crippled in body, most of them 
returned with new habits and altered ambitions. There 
were empty places in almost every household in those 
days. Everywhere was to be seen the badge of mourn- 
ing worn by women ; old and young were in black gowns, 
or, if there was no crape on their persons, it was quite 
sure to be upon their hearts. For the men at home as 
well as^at the front, there was excitement in the descrip- 
tion of a charge, the fierce struggle and victory. But 
precious little excitement or consolation was there in this 
for the wife, the mother or the betrothed, left behind at 
home ; no glory in it for her, only silent suffering and 
abiding anxiety. No adequate history could ever be 
written of the women of the Civil War ; but it is strange 
indeed, that no great sculptor, or architect, has been com- 
missioned to erect some might}' monument to commem- 
orate in enduring marble and bronze her heroism, her 
sacrifices and her achievements. 

Most fittingly has the poet said : 

"The maid who binds her warrior's sash, 

With a smile that well her grief dissembles. 
The while beneath her drooping lash 

One starry teardrop hangs and trembles, 
Tho' heaven alone record the tear. 

And fame shall never know her story, 
Her heart doth shed a drop as dear 

As ever dewed the field of glory. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 227 

'The wife who girds her husband's sword 

'Mid little ones who weep and wondei. 
And bravely speaks the cheering word 

What though her heart be rent asunder, 
Doomed nightly in her dreams to hear 

The bolts of war around him rattle, 
Hath shed as sacred blood as e'er 

Was poured upon a field of battle. 

"The mother who conceals her grief 

When to her heart her son she presses, 
Then breathes a few brave words and brief. 

Kissing the patriot brow she blesses, 
With no one but her secret God 

To know the pain that weighs upon her. 
Sheds holy blood as e'er the sod 

Received on Freedom's field of honor." 



BOOK II 
CIVIL HISTORY 

CHAPTER I 

The Name 

ScHUYLERViLLE is fittingly named, and yet the student of 
the history of this locahty cannot repress a sentimental 
wish that the ancient name (Saratoga) had been retained. 
Indeed, the older inhabitants hereabouts speak of the 
district between here and Coveville as Old Saratoga. 
We have not been able to ascertain when the name Schuy- 
lerville was given to the place, but can trace it back to 

]820. 

The Saratoga Patent 

The circumstances under which the white man first 
settled here are as follows: In the year 1683, four Alban- 
ians, Cornelis Van Dyk, Jan Jansen Bleecker, Peter Phil- 
lipsen Schuyler and Johannes Wendel, purchased from 
the Mohawks their old hunting grounds called ''Ochser- 
antogue, or Sarachtogie." 

On November 4, 1684, Governor Dongan granted a 
patent for this tract to seven persons, Cornelis Van Dyk, 
John J. Bleecker, Pieter Phillipse Schuyler, Johannes 
Wendel. Dirck Wessels, David Schuyler and Robert 
Livingston, for which they were to pay an annual rental 



230 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

to the crown of twenty bushels of wheat. This was con- 
firmed by Lord Cornbury, in June, 1708. In this con- 
firmatory patent the name of Johannes Schuyler appears 
in the place of Johannes Wendel. 

This patent took in both sides of the Hudson river, 
from the Anthony's Kill, at Mechanicville, north to 
opposite the mouth of the Battenkill, and from the Hoosac 
river north to the Battenkill (then called Dionoonda- 
howa), on the east side. It extended six miles back 
•from the river on both sides, and being;, as was supposed, 
twenty-two miles long, made a tract of 264 square 
miles. 

The next year the patentees made a division of the 
arable lands lying along the river. The division was 
made by five disinterested men, then seven numbers writ- 
ten on slips of paper were thrown in a hat, and the chil- 
dren of the patentees drew the numbers. Lot 4, which 
lay just south of Fish creek, fell to Johannes Wendel ; 
Lot 5, north of the creek, fell to Robert Livingston ; Lot 
6, which extended south from the Battenkill to Titmouse- 
kill, fell to David Schuyler. In March, 1686, David 
Schuyler sold his seventh share to Robert Livingston 
and Peter Schuyler for 55£ i6s ($279). Livingston 
took the part opposite his own Lot 5, and Schuyler that 
part opposite Lots 2 and 3, which would take in from 
opposite Bemis Lleights to opposite a point about a mile 
and one-half north of Coveville. On this section lived 
a Frenchman by the name of Du Bison. 

Johannes Wendel seems to have taken immediate steps 
to improve his property. The inducements were suffi- 
ciently strong to lead several to venture up this way 
and settle. But at that day, and for a long while after, 
it proved to be a very risky undertaking. 



THE SrORY OF OLD SARATOGA 231 

First Settlers 

We get our first hints of an}' settlement at Saratoga 
from the minutes of the Council of Albany. There we 
learn that several families were living in the region of 
Stillwater and Saratoga in the winter of 1688-9. Most 
of them were French refugees. Those were the days of 
religious persecution, now happily a thing of the past. 
It was then the policy of the French to permit none but 
Roman Catholics to settle in Canada, and to banish all . 
others who might find their way there. The province of 
New York being the most accessible, the exiled Hugue- 
nots were sent this way, and several of them found a 
home in Albany or its vicinity. A few families 
were induced to settle on the Saratoga patent. 
After they were thus located, it was suspected, 
and with good reason, that the Canadian govern- 
ment caused some of its friends to emigrate and 
settle among them as refugees, and then acting 
as spies, to keep them acquainted with what was going 
on among the English colonists. During the winter of 
1688-9 the Council caused several of the suspected ones 
to be arrested on the rumor that they were aiding sol- 
diers to desert to Canada. The names of those arrested 
were Antonie Lespenard, John Van Loon, Lafleur and 
Villeroy. They proved to be innocent. Antonie Les- 
penard afterward moved to New York, where he became 
the founder of a prominent family. One of the streets 
of America's metropolis still bears his name. 

It was in the mid-summer of 1689 that the Iroquois 
confederacy made its famous raid into Canada, which 
came near wiping out that infant colony in flames and 
blood. On the ist of September, that year, a report 



232 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



reached Albany that three people had been killed at 
Bartel A/'rooman's, at Saratoga, by some Indians from 
Canada ; the first blow struck on this side the big waters 
in King William's war, and the forerunner of Schenec- 
tady. The Council assembled and resolved to dispatch 
Lieutenant Jochem Staats, with ten men, to Sarachtoge to 
learn the situation and report at once. Robert Sanders 
and Egbert Teunise were also commissioned to go with 
some friendly Indians on a scout thither for the like 
.purpose. 

At the same session (September 5th), the Council 
resolved to build a fort around Vrooman's house, and 
"that twelve men be sent there to lie upon pay." Their 
stipend was I2d per day besides provisions. Schaghticoke 
Indians were to act for them as scouts. 

This fort, together with the houses it protected, were 
evidently abandoned for the winter of 1689-90, else the 
French and Indian expedition against Schenectady, which 
came this way and from this point took the Saratoga 
trail, would have been discovered by these settlers. 

Johannes Wendel died in 1691, and left his Saratoga 
property to his son, Abraham, who in turn sold it to 
Johannes Schuyler, in 1702, for I25i ($600). 

From Colonel Romer's report, in 1698, we learn that 
there had been seven farms here which were ruined in 
the late war, and he recommended the building of another 
fort "to maintain possession, and to encourage the farm- 
ers to rebuild their houses." 

Schuyler was soon able, after he got possession, to 
induce some families to venture up this way again, for 
Lord Cornbury reports their settlement here in 1703^ 
and adds that they should be protected by a fort or they 
would probably desert the locality. In 1709, the fort 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 233 

was built, as preliminary to an expedition against Can- 
ada, by Peter Schuyler, but it was located on the east side 
of the river. This was in Queen Anne's war, during 
which period Saratoga was made a depot of supplies for 
the invading armies. It is well to recall that Pieter and 
Johannes Schuyler, large owners in the Saratoga patent, 
were among the chiefest heroes of that war in this 
country. 

A long peace of thirty-two years ensued after Queen 
Anne's war, which furnished both the time and the con- 
ditions necessary for colonial development. 

The Schuylers, being energetic men, improved their 
opportunity ; settlers flocked in, to whom they sold no 
land, but gave long leases. There being here an excel- 
lent water power, and the means of transportation good, 
saw and grist mills were erected, and the products of the 
soil and forests found a ready market down the river, 
whither they were floated on bateaux or large flat boats. 

Location of Old Saratoga and the Mills 

The old village of Saratoga and all the mills were on 
the south side of the creek till after 1765. The Living- 
stons apparently did little to develop their holdings 
here, where Schuylerville now stands, so long as they 
owned it. There seems to have been not more than one 
or two houses north of Fish creek at the time of the mas- 
sacre, in 1745. The village and the fort were half a mile 
or more below the creek, on the flats. 

But few records have been preserved concerning Old 
Saratoga, between Queen Anne's war, 1709, and King 
George's war, 1745. The following may prove of some 
interest to modern Schuylervillans. 

In 1720, we find the Indian commissioners reproving 



234 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

some Mohawk Indians for killing cattle at Saratoga. ^^- 
Domestic animals were unknown to the Indians before 
the advent of the white man, and the idea of personal 
ownership in an animal so large as cattle, sheep, horses, 
etc., was apparently hard for them to grasp. The deer 
and the elk, that roamed the forests, belonged to any 
one who could get them. 

In 1 72 1, they began to take an interest in the improve- 
ment of highways in this part of the colony. The Legis- 
lature appointed as first commissioners for the district of 
Saratoga, north of Half Moon, Robert Livingston, Jr., 
Col. Johannes Schuyler and Major Abraham Schuyler. 
Livingston then owned the site of Schuylerville ; Johannes 
Schuyler was the grandfather of Gen. Philip Schuyler.^^^ 
In 1723, several families of Schaghticoke Indians 
were living here. Through fear of the New England 
Indians, they emigrated to Canada. ^^* 

In 1726, the Legislature, in pursuance of a petition 
from a number of those primitive Saratogans, passed an 
act prohibiting swine from running at large, as they had 
heretofore, to the great annoyance 'and 'damage of the 
good people. The limits of that provision were from 
"Dove Gatt" northward, on both sides of the river.^^^ 

In 1729, the names of Philip Schuyler, Garrett Ridder 
and Cornelius Van Beuren appear as the highway com- 
missioners, by appointment. ^^° These names are all 
familiar to this locality. This Philip Schuyler, son of 
Johannes, was the one shot in his house in the massacre. 



"2 Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. \. vol. V., p. 566. 
"3 Colonial Laws of N. Y. Vol. II., p. 69. 

1" Documents relating to Colonial Hist, of N. Y. Vol. Y., p. 722. 
"^ This is the first time the name Dovegat (Coveville) appears in the 
records. 

""Colonial Laws of N. Y. Yo\. II., p. 301. Ibid, p. 516. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 235 

The De Ridders settled on the east side of the river. 
When they came does not appear, but the fact that Garrett 
(De) Ridder's name appears as such commissioner, 
would indicate that he was already located in this vicin- 
ity, or, at least, had property interests here. 

The tragic story of the destruction of Old Saratoga 
has already been told in our military annals. Unfortun- 
ately the names of none of those carried captive into 
Canada have been preserved. 

Resettlement After the Massacre 

Despite the hard and bitter fate of those primitive 
Saratogans, there were found a number of people willing 
to venture hither and settle again on the land that had 
but recently been wet with the blood and tears of so 
many victims of the late war. Who they were, we have 
not as yet been able to discover. De Ridder is the only 
name preserved to us from that lot of plucky pioneers 
who dared, immediately after King George's war, 
to attempt the resurrection of Old Saratoga from the 
ashes. 

Visit of Kalm 

Peter Kalm, the great Swedish naturalist and traveler, 
came up through here in the summer of 1749, on his 
way to Canada. He has left behind a very interesting 
record of his travels and observations in America. 

On the 22d of June, 1749, he started for the 
north, from Albany, in a white pine dugout, or canoe, 
accompanied by two guides. They lodged the first 
night in the vicinity of the falls at Cohoes. On 
their way up the river, the next day, they had 
great trouble in getting over the rapids. The greater 



236 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

part of both sides of the stream was densely wooded, 
though here and there was to be seen a clearing, 
devoted to meadow and the growing of maize. 

He says : "The farms are commonly built close to the 
river-side, sometimes on the hills. Each house has a 
little kitchen garden, and a still lesser orchard. Some 
farms, however, had large gardens. The kitchen gar- 
dens afiford several kinds of gourds, [squash] water- 
melons and kidney beans. The orchards are full of 
apple trees. This year the trees had few or no apples, 
on account of the frosts in May, and the drought which 
had continued throughout the summer."^^'^ 

He tells of seeing quantities of sturgeon toward even- 
ing, leaping high out of the water, and how he saw many 
white men and Indians fishing for them, at night, with 
pine-knot torches and spears. Many of them, which 
they could not secure, afterward died of their wounds, 
lodged on the shore, and filled the air with their stench. 

"June 23d. This night we lodged with a farmer, who 
had returned to his farm after the war was over. [This 
must have been in the vicinity of Stillwater.] All his 
buildings, except the great barn, were burnt. It was the 
last in the Province of New York, toward Canada, which 
had been left standing and which was now inhabited. 
Further on we met still with inhabitants ; but they had 
no houses, and lived in huts of boards, the houses being 
burnt during the war." 

That night, the 24th of June, he accepted the hospi- 
tality of a settler at Saratoga and lodged in one of 
those huts. We have elsewhere given his version 
of the French attack on Fort Clinton. The morn- 
ing of the 25th, he resumed his journey north- 

^^'' Kalm's Travels in North Americn. Vol. II., p. 284. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 237 

ward. They had a hard struggle getting up the 
rapids, below the State dam, at Northumberland, 
and were obliged to abandon the boat entirely at 
Fort Miller. He described the road to Fort Nicholson 
(Fort Edward) as so overgrown that it was reduced to 
a mere path ; while the site of Fort Nicholson was a 
thicket, well-nigh impenetrable. The mosquitoes, pun- 
kies, and wood-lice, made life miserable for them on their 
way to the head of Champlain, at Whitehall. 

The fact that there was a sawmill on the north side of 
Fish creek, and that a blockhouse fort had been erected 
here as early as 1755, would indicate that there were a 
goodly number of families living hereabouts at the begin- 
ning of the French and Indian war. 

Its Development Under Philip Schuyler 

In 1763, the heirs of Johannes Schuyler divided his 
property among themselves. About this time, we find 
Philip Schuyler in possession of that part of the ancestral 
estates located here at Saratoga. In 1768, we learn that 
he purchased some four thousand acres north of the 
Fish creek, from the Livingston heirs, and afterwards 
other large tracts hereabouts. 

With characteristic energy, he at once set to work to 
develop his holdings. He rebuilt the saw and grist mills 
destroyed by the French in 1745. According to the map 
of Saratoga, made by Burgoyne's engineer, in 1777, and 
Sauthier's map of 1779, (preserved in the State Library, 
Albany), these mills were all, with one exception, on the 
south side of Fish creek. He found a ready market in 
New York and the West Indies for all his surplus 
products. 



238 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Philip Schuyler had an eye for all improvements in 
agriculture and manufacture, and was in correspondence 
with the most progressive men in both England and 
America. Here at Old Saratoga he erected and success- 
fully run the first flax, or linen, mill in America. Soon 
thereafter he read a paper before the Society for the Pro- 
motion of Arts, in which he gave a detailed statement of 
the workings of the machinery, and compared its output 
with that of hand power. The Society was so highly 
pleased with his venture, and considered the enterprise 
of such great public importance and utility, that it decreed 
a medal should be struck and given him, and voted him 
their "thanks for executing so useful a design in the 
Province. "^^* 

The productions of his farms and mills became so great 
that he found it to his advantage to establish a transpor- 
tation line of his own between Albany and New York, 
consisting of a schooner and three sloops. The freight 
was taken down the river from here (Schuylerville) on 
flat boats and rafts. 

Before 1767 he had built his first country mansion here. 
It was located a few rods south-west of the brick one 
assaulted and burned by the French, as we have before 
mentioned. After the building of this house, he spent 
more than half of each year at Saratoga, that he might 
give his personal attention to his extensive and growing 
business. 

All fear of further war-like incursions from the north 
being removed by England's late conquest of Canada, 
and Schuyler and other landed proprietors offering suffi- 
ciently attractive inducements, settlers began to pour in 
from the east and the south, and from across the sea. 



"8 Lossing's Life of Phillip Schuyler. Vol. I. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 239 

Soon many open spaces began to appear in the intermina- 
ble woods back and away from the river, in the midst of 
which the sturdy pioneer erected his log hut and made 
ready to start life anew. 

Mrs. Grant on Colonel Schuyler's Saratoga 
Enterprise 

Mrs. Grant, of Lagan (Scotland), in her "Memoirs 
of an American Lady," draws a very interesting picture 
of Old Saratoga as it appeared about 1768, as also of 
the master spirit who was then the director of its 
fortunes. 

"The Colonel, since known by the title of 'General 
Schuyler,' had built a house [yet standing] near Albany, 
in the English taste, comparatively magnificent, where 
his family resided, and where he carried on the business 
of his department. Thirty miles or more above Albany, 
in the direction of the Flatts, and near the iar-famed Sar- 
atoga, which was to be the scene of his future triumph, 
he had another establishment. It was here that the Col- 
onel's political and economical genius had full scope. He 
had always the command of a great number of those 
workmen who were employed in public buildings, etc. 
They were always in constant pay, it being necessary to 
engage them in that manner ; and were, from the change 
of the seasons, the shutting of the ice, and other circum- 
stances, months unemployed. At these seasons, when 
public business was interrupted, the workmen were occu- 
pied in constructing squares of buildings in the nature 
of barracks, ^^^ for the purpose of lodging artisans and 



"" These are the barracks spoken of by Burgoyne in his State of the 
Expedition, and by Sergeant Lamb, as having accidentally caught fire orL 
the night of the gth of October, 1777. 



2 40 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

laborers of all kinds. Having previously obtained a large 
tract of very fertile lands from the Crown, on which he 
built a spacious and convenient house, he constructed 
those barracks at a distance, not only as a nursery for the 
arts, which he meant to encourage, but as the materials 
of a future colony, which he meant to plant out around 
him. 

"He had here a number of negroes, well acquainted 
with 'felling of trees and managing of saw mills, of 
which he erected several ; and while these were employed 
in carrying on a very advantageous trade of deals and 
lumber, which were floated down on rafts to New York, 
they were at the same time clearing the ground for the 
colony the Colonel was preparing to establish. 

"This new settlement was an asylum for everyone 
who wanted bread and a home. From the variety of 
employment regularly distributed, every artisan and every 
laborer found here lodging and occupation ; some hun- 
dreds of people, indeed, were employed at once. Those 
who were, in winter, engaged at the sawmills, were in 
summer equally busied at a large and productive fishery.^^° 

"The artisans got lodging and firing for two or three 
years, at first, besides being well paid for everything 
they did. Flax was raised and dressed, and finally spun 



120 The "fishery" here alluded to was doubtless one of shad and herring, 
and perhaps sturgeon. During the months of May and June, annually, 
immense schools of these fish used to run up the river and its tributary 
creeks, before the dams were erected in the Hudson. Local tradition says 
that farmers used to drive into P'ish creek and with a dip or scoop-net lit- 
erally load their wagons with shad and herring. Stephen Newberry, an 
aged resident of Greenwich, told the writer that he could remember help- 
ing his older brothers fish with a seine in the river below the rifts at Thom- 
son's Mills, near the iron bridge. They salted down the shad in barrels 
and sold them to merchants and farmers. This is also confirmed by Mr. 
D. A. Bullard. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 241 

and made into linen there; and as artisans were very 
scarce in the country, everyone sent linen to weave, flax 
to dress, etc., to the Colonel's colony. He paid them 
liberally, and having always abundance of money in his 
hands, could afford to be the loser at first, to be amply 
repaid in the end. 

"It is inconceivable what dexterity, address and deep 
policy were exhibited in the management of this new set- 
tlement, the growth of which was rapid beyond belief. 
Every mechanic ended in being a farmer — that is, a profit- 
able tenant to the owner of the soil ; and new recruits of 
artisans, from the north of Ireland chiefly, supplied their 
place, nourished with the golden dews which this saga- 
cious projector could so easily command. The rapid 
increase and advantageous result of this establishment 
were astonishing. 'Tis impossible for my imperfect 
recollection to do justice to the capacity displayed in 
these regulations. But I have thus endeavored to trace 
to its original source the wealth and power which became 
afterwards the means of supporting an aggression so 
formidable."^-^ 

This pleasant description of Old Saratoga and its fam- 
ous proprietor, leads one to the conclusion, if the picture 
is correct, that in his notions about co-operation, and the 
proper relations which should subsist between the em- 
ployer and his employees, Philip Schuyler was a hundred 
years and more ahead of his time. One thing, how- 
ever, we cannot fail to note in passing, that, from earliest 
times, Old Saratoga has been a manufacturing and mill- 
ing center. 



i^'- Memoirs of an American Lad}'. Edition of 1846, p. 228. 
16 



242 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

CHAPTER II 

The First Permanent Settlers 

Among the earliest permanent settlers in this locality 
were the De Ridders. They settled on the east side of 
the river, just across from Schuylerville. We include 
them here because that was part of Old Saratoga, and 
because they figured largely in the early history of this 
place. 

The first of this family, whose name appears, is that of 
Garett De Ridder. His name is found in connection 
with Philip Schuyler (uncle of the General) and Cor- 
nelius Van Beuren, as a road commissioner for the dis- 
trict between Saratoga and Half Moon, in 1729. Again, 
in 1750, Garett De Ridder, Killian De Ridder and Wal- 
dron Clute are appointed to the same office. 

Tradition says that five brothers De Ridder came over 
from Holland. Their names were Walter, Simon, Hen- 
drick, Killian and Evert. Though there is no direct 
authority for it, still it would be fair to presume that 
they were the sons of Garett De Ridder, who appears in 
history 21 years before the others. Killian was a bach- 
elor, and appears to have been the largest land-holder 
among the brothers, at least in this locality. Walter De 
Ridder's house stood on the east bank of the Hudson, 
just north of the road as it turns east from the river 
going to Greenwich. This house was ruined by the ice 
in a freshet. Some of the timbers in this old house are 
in the one now called the Elder Rogers' house. This 
latter house was built by General Simon De Ridder, for 
His son, Walter. Walter was the father of Mrs. C. W. 
Mayhew and Miss Katherine De Ridder. General 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA . 243 

Simon's house stood on the site of the house now owned 
by Robert and Wilhani Funson. The original house 
was of brick, burned on the farm, and was twice as large 
as the present structure. The present kitchen is a relic 
of the original mansion, which was burned in 1837. 

The De Ridders are now the oldest family that have 
lived continuously in this locality. 

Abraham Marshall came from Yorkshire, England, 
leased a farm of Philip Schuyler about 1763, and situated 
perhaps a mile south of Victory village. This farm is 
still owned by his grandson, William H. Marshall. He 
and his family suilered all the hardships incident to the 
Revolution. Many of his descendants are still residents 
in this vicinity. Besides the above, we recall Mr. John 
Marshall, a prominent citizen on Bacon Hill; Mrs, Wil- 
liam B. Marshall, still the owner of the house made his- 
toric by the experiences and writings of the Baroness 
Riedesel, and also Mr. Frank Marshall, of Victory, a 
great-grandson. 

Thomas Jordan came here before the Revolution. He 
was then a young man. He served in that war as a 
bateauman. After the war he married a daughter of 
Abraham Marshall, settled upon and cleared the farm 
now occupied by Mr. Frank jNIarshall. 

Conrad Cramer (Kremer), a German, came about 1763, 
and settled on the farm now owned by John Hicks 
Smith. He married j\Iargaret Brisbin, by whom he had 
five children. His descendants are numerous, but are 
now scattered far and wide. A grandson, Hiram, and 
great-grandson, Charles, still cling to the old haunts. 

John Woeman was living near Coveville in 1765. Wil- 
liam Green also settled here about the same time. His 
sons were Samuel, John and Henry. 



244 ^-^^ STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Thomas Smith moved from Dutchess county about 
1770, and settled on the place still owned by his great- 
grandson, Stephen Smith, on the hill about four miles 
west of Schuylerville. 

About 1770, John Strover bought the farm now 
owned by the Comings. He was an active patriot dur- 
ing the Revolution, and did valuable service as a scout. 
He held the rank of orderly sergeant. His son, George, 
bought the old Schuyler mansion about 1838, which is 
still owned by two of his daughters. 

Hezekiah Dunham was also one of those sturdy pioneers 
who was not only strong to clear the forests, but was 
equally efficient in clearing his country of tyrants. He 
was a captain of a militia company, and was one of the 
most prominent patriots in these parts. He was leader 
of the captors of the notorious Tory, Lovelass. He set- 
tled on the farm now owned and occupied by Hiram 
Cramer. 

James I. Brisbin made his clearing on the farm now 
owned by Michael Varley, previously owned by Oliver 
Brisbin. 

George Davis settled the farm still called the Davis 
farm. The stone quarry known as the Ruckatuc is on 
that place. The following story is told as an illustration 
of pioneer honesty, which measures up pretty close to the 
ideal : On one occasion James I. Brisbin and George 
Davis swapped horses. But on reaching home and look- 
ing his horse over very carefully, Brisbin concluded that 
he had the best of the bargain, and that he ought to pay 
over about five dollars to even the thing up. Strangely 
enough, Davis had also been going through the same 
judicial process with his conscience and had arrived at 
Brisbin's conclusion, precisely. Both concluded to go 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 245 

over at once and straighten the thing up while in the 
mood. They met each other about half way, but just 
how they settled it the tradition saith not. It would 
perhaps be hazardous to assert that Saratoga horse- 
fanciers have ever since invariably followed this model 
in similar transactions. 

James Brisbin settled, before the Revolution, on the 
farm until recently owned by his great-grandson, James 
Caruth Brisbin, but now by Hiram Cramer. 

Peter Lansing, of Albany, built what is now known as 
the Marshall house in 1773, for a farm house, but who 
occupied it is not known. 

Sherman Patterson was the first settler on the place 
now bounded by Spring street and Broadway, and owned 
by Patrick McNamara. That was before the Revolution. 

A Mr. Webster, one Daniel Guiles, and a Mr. Cross, 
lived here before the Revolution. Mr. Cross' place was 
near the present one of Mr. Orville C. Shearer. Mr. 
Guiles lived where Victory village now is. 

Three brothers by the name of Denny came to this 
town as early as 1770, and built three log houses on what 
is now the John McBride place, near Dean's Corners. 

Col. Cornelius Van Veghten was among the first set- 
tlers at Coveville. He had three boys, Herman, Cornelius 
and Walter, and was a very prominent Whig in the Revo- 
lution. He was a friend of General Schuyler, and was 
most cordially hated by the Tories. The story of his nar- 
row escape from assassination at the hands of one of them 
is told elsewhere. The old Van Veghten homestead is 
now owned and occupied by Mr. Charles Searles. 

The historic Dovegat house is supposed to have been 
built by Jacobus Swart ; at least, according to an old field 
book in possession of Mrs. Charles Searles, he owned 



246 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

it soon after the Revolution. At the time of Burgoyne's 
excursion down through here, another man, by the name 
of Swart, lived just south of Coveville, near Searles 
ferry. Burgoyne's trip down through here also devel- 
ops the fact that a man by the name of Sword lived two 
or more miles below Coveville, where the Britons camped 
the 1 8th of September, 1777. It is now owned by Rob- 
ert Searles. A short distance below Sword's, lived Eze- 
kiel Ensign, on a place still owned by a descendant, 
George Ensign. 

A little further south was the house of John Taylor in 
which General Eraser died. The first settler on Taylor's 
place was John McCarty, who ran away from home, in 
Limerick, Ireland, to avoid marrying a red-headed girl 
whom his parents had selected for him. In 1765 he leased 
from Philip Schuyler the land just north of the Wilbur's 
Basin ravine, and on which are the three hills fortified 
by Burgoyne, and on one of which General Eraser was 
buried. The lease called for one-tenth of the produce as 
rental. The original parchment, signed by the contract- 
ing parties is now in the possession of Edwin R. Wilbur, 
at Wilbur's Basin, a great grandson of John McCarty, 
Evidently John found a wife better suited to his tastes 
in America. E. Patterson's little barn west of the canal 
stands on the site of McCarty's house. Near him Thomas 
and Eones Wilbur had settled before the war. Erederick 
Patterson now owns the homestead of Eones Wilbur. 
Wilbur's Basin received its name from these brothers. 
Below Wilbur's Basin, on the flats near the river, were 
two homes owned by J. Vernor and II. Van Denburg. 
Joseph Holmes now occupies the Vernor place, and 
Ephraim Eord the Van Denburg homestead. It was 
here that the fugitive inhabitants stopped over night in 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 247 

1777, as told by the Sexagenary. The buildings were 
burned by the British on the 19th of September, 1777. 

Next below Van Denburg's was Bemis' tavern, occu- 
pied by Gates as headquarters for a short time. Fothem 
Bemis was the first settler at Bemis Heights. (Bemus 
is the spelling in the original document in the county 
clerk's office, Albany.) On the heights back from 
the river Ephraim Woodworth purchased a farm and 
built a house afterward occupied by General Gates as 
headquarters. We are already familiar with the historic 
home of John Neilson, also with Isaac Freeman's cottage 
and farm, the site of the great battle. A number of 
other clearings had been made and log cottages put up 
in that immediate vicinity. According to Neilson one 
Asa Chatfield owned the one just south of the middle 
ravine, from the top of whose house Colonel Wilkinson 
reconnoitered the British as they deployed into line of 
battle just before the second day's fight. Simeon Bar- 
bour and George Coulter owned the clearings and cot- 
tages where the second day's battle opened, and one S. 
McBride had his homestead . to the north of them, 
apparently where the farm buildings of the late Mrs. 
Ebenezer Leggett stand. 

Gabriel Leggett and Isaac Leggett were settled near 
the borders of Stillwater and Saratoga when Burgoyne 
came down to make good Englishmen of them. They 
were prominent Friends, and we presume therefore that 
neither they nor their co-religionists shouldered a mus- 
ket to stop his progress. 

David Shepherd's pioneer home has also become heredi- 
tary in his family ; it now being owned by his grandson, 
David Shepherd. John Walker also settled in the south- 
ern part of the town of Saratoga. His descendants now 



248 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

own part of the battlefield. It is interesting to note, in 
this connection, that E. R. Wilbur, a grandson of Fones 
Wilbur, married Phoebe Freeman, a granddaughter of 
Isaac P'reeman, and that they now own that part of the 
camp ground of the British army whereon Burgoyne had 
his headquarters. 

Besides the above there were doubtless many others 
settled in this town whose names have thus far escaped 
the searching eye of the historian. 

CHAPTER III 

How THE Pioneer Fathers Lived 

A FEW years since the writer spent some time on the 
western frontier in what was then the Territory of 
Dakota. He was among a people just settling and build- 
ing their new^ homes. While there he was struck by the 
evident scarcity of idlers. The useless, the inert, the 
somnolent, so much in evidence in the populous east, were 
entirely wanting. Furthermore there were no dudes, no 
snobs, no society exquisites, whose highest ambition in 
life is to shine in a drawing room, or pose as a form on 
which to display the latest product of the tailor's art. On 
the other hand he saw none who could be classed among 
the coarse, the vulgar, and low-bred; but he did see a 
splendid aggregation of energy, self-reliance, courage 
and hopefulness. Their houses were plain in the extreme. 
The three leading styles of architecture which prevailed 
there were the dugout, the board shanty, and the sod 
house. These were usually bare of what we account 
necessary comforts; over such lack, however, they wor- 
ried but little, for they believed that the future had all 
those thinsrs in store for them. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 249 

Those people were pioneers, brave, stalwart and 
intrepid. To our mind the pioneer should be classed 
among the most heroic of humankind. He is the path- 
finder to better and larger things, the creator of condi- 
tions for new and better civilizations, the founder of 
States. And though some of the exquisite and super- 
refined among his great grandchildren might smile at his 
plain apparel, his rugged figure and somewhat awkward 
manners, yet for nobility of heart and downright useful- 
ness in the world many of such descendants are not 
worthy to "stoop down and unloose the latchet" of their 
ancestors' shoes. 

What the writer saw on the western frontier was, no 
doubt, a picture in duplicate of the pioneers of this Sara- 
togan frontier one hundred and thirty-five years ago. 
Here, as elsewhere, the time honored program was fol- 
lowed. The young man would go forth in the early 
spring prospecting, locate his farm, blaze a path through 
the woods, fell the trees on a few acres, build his log 
cabin, collect and burn the wood on his clearing, and then 
when winter set in return to the old home. The next 
spring with his young wife and babies, and an outfit con- 
sisting of some indispensable household furniture, a few 
primitive agricultural tools, a team of oxen, a cow, a 
couple of pigs, and maybe some barnyard fowls, start 
for the new home, perhaps accompanied by some other 
young man whom they had persuaded to go out to find a 
home and settle near them. 

It required a tremendous amount of pluck and energy 
to turn their backs on old friends, a comfortable home, 
and take a one to four weeks' journey to the new home 
located in what was literally a howling wilderness, where 
their nearest neighbors would be wolves, bears, panthers 



25° 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



and other savage denizens of the forest. For a long while 
their outlook would be closed in on all sides by the dense 
and unsightly forest, until some other hardy pioneer had 
enlarged his opening in the woods to meet theirs. 

Once on the ground, and the scanty furniture disposed 
in the house, the young settler, if he had not done it the 
year before, would proceed to build a strong shelter for 
his stock. The pen for his swine must be made of heavy 
logs, and covered also with big logs as a protection from 
wolves and particularly bears, who have a great weakness 
for pork. The barn must also be equally strong as a pro- 
tection for his cattle, sheep and fowls. Then, too, he 
must break up the soil on his clearing for his first crop of 
corn, wheat and potatoes. After that more clearing. 

It is both interesting and profitable to recall how the 
fathers lived, and note the wide difference between their 
creature comforts and ours. 

How Log Houses were Built 

The first house was built of logs by the aid of few tools 
save the axe, an augur, and a saw. It seldom contained 
more than one room and an attic, reached by a ladder. 
It had no more than two windows whose panes might be 
glass, but very likely white paper oiled. The fire place 
generally filled one end of the cabin ; this was usually 
the sole furnishment for heat, light and cooking. The 
kettles were hung on the crane, the bread, etc., was baked 
in the ashes, or in sheet iron receptacles buried in the 
coals ; roasts, spare-ribs, etc., would be hung on a wire 
and cord and slowly turned around before the coals to 
broil. Later they built a brick oven out doors. Cooking 
stoves were rare until after 1830. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 251 

How Fires were Started 

Friction matches did not come into use until about 
1830. The fathers kindled fire with the flint and steel, 
striking the sparks into tinder or tow, the sun glass was 
sometimes used, but often when the fire went out on the 
hearth the children were sent over to a neighbor's to bor- 
row live coals. For light they used the tallow dip, and 
when tallow was scarce the pine knot was the favorite 
illuminant. By the light of the latter the housewife could 
see to spin or weave. 

Table Furniture 

The table furniture was usually of the simplest order. 
In the average family there would be one large wooden 
dish in the center of the bare table, no table cloths or nap- 
kins, mind you. In this dish the viands would be depos- 
ited, or the porridge or pap (pronounced pop) would be 
poured. If pap or porridge, the family, furnished with 
wooden spoons, all dipped from the one dish to their 
mouths. If more solid food, it would be transferred to 
freshly cut chips, or wooden plates, when bone handled 
knives and two-pronged forks would be used, if they 
could afford them, otherwise spoons and fingers. People 
of larger means had pewter dishes and spoons.^-- When 
the spoons became hopelessly bent or broken they were 
recast in a brazen mould. For special occasions they 
would bring out their table cloth, their earthenware, etc., 
according; to their wealth. 



^2 Mrs. William B. Marshall of the "Marshall house" has several of these 
plates, remnants of "the good old times." 



252 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Carpets 

Carpets were a rarit}^ except in the homes of the well- 
to-do before 1825 ; and these were usually confined to 
the sitting room and spare bed room. Among the coun- 
try folks the first carpets were commonly rag, and later a 
carpet woven from coarsely spun wool, and home dyed, 
was considered very fine. 

Wearing Apparel 

Wearing apparel, made exclusively from flax and wool, 
was usually homespun, home dyed, and home woven. 
Those who could afford it would take their finest wool 
cloth to a fuller to have it fulled and dressed. The 
Schuylers built the first fulling mill in this vicinity. This 
fulled cloth was used for the best suits and dresses, and 
a suit of it would frequently last for years, especially as 
the fashions seldom changed. This fabric was usually 
dyed butternut, or London brown. All this spinning, 
weaving, sewing and knitting kept the housewife and 
her girls pretty busy in those days, for sewing and knit- 
ting and washing machines were then undreamed of; 
everything had to be done by hand. The women ironed 
nothing in those days but the starched clothes. The wide- 
awake housekeeper, provident of her time, would care- 
fully fold the other white goods, place them in the chair 
seats and direct the heavy weights of the family to sit 
on them during meal time, and thus they were ironed. 

Tailoring 

In those good old times the housewife was expected to 
serve her family as dressmaker, milliner and tailor ; and 
in cases where she possessed little genius for fitting, her 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 253 

husband and children might easily be mistaken for scare- 
crows. It was this wide diversity in fashion and fit that 
caused so much merriment among the British soldiers in 
Colonial days when the Provincial militia appeared on 
parade. It was this that inspired a British wag to write 
Yankee Doodle. Of course all who could afford it 
employed an itinerant tailor to come in and clothe up the 
men folks. 

Footwear 

Until quite recent times all footwear was entirely hand 
made. But in the earlier days the farmer would get his 
own deacon (calf), and cowskins tanned, and dressed, 
and then call in an itinerant shoemaker to shoe up his 
family for the year. The shoemaker's technical term for 
this service, in some localities, was "whipping the cat." 
A Mr. St. John served as one of those itinerant shoe- 
makers in this locality. Rubber overshoes were intro- 
duced within the last forty-five years; before that well 
greased boots served for the men, though over in Ver- 
mont they made overshoes for men of flexible leather 
tanned with the hair on; moccasins or thickly knitted 
leggins drawn over the shoes were much worn by women 
in the winter when traveling. 

Medicinal Herbs 

The prudent housewife always had an eye out for 
medicinal herbs in the summer time; hence, in every 
well appointed home bunches of catnip, and boneset, and 
wormwood, and pennyroyal, and yarrow, and lobelia, etc., 
would be hung up in the garret against the hour of need. 
There, too, could always be seen hung up great "risks," 
or braids of selected corn, which the farmer had saved 
for seed. 



254 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Farming Tools 

Through colonial days, and during the earlier years of 
the nineteenth century, the farmer had no scientifically 
built plow, no cultivators, no grain drills, no mowing 
machines or reaping machines, no horse-rakes or thresh- 
ing machines, no fanning mills or windmills. His 
tools were first a clumsy, ill-shaped wooden plow, 
with an iron point which had to be frequently sharpened. 
This must not only break up the soil, but must serve as 
marker, cultivator and hiller. His hoes and pitchforks 
were of tempered wrought iron and easily bent. He 
harrowed in his grain with tree tops, or brush, reaped it 
with a sickle, a tedious process, threshed it with a hand 
flail, and winnowed it with a large fan, shaped like a 
dust pan, standing in the wind. The grain cradle did not 
appear until the second quarter of the nineteenth century, 
the reaper about 1865. He cut his grass with a scythe, 
raked it by hand, and pitched it on and off the wagon by 
hand. The farmer's team had an easy time before the 
advent of machinery. 

Milling 

When he needed flour or meal he would throw a bag 
of grain across his horse's back, mount and ride from one 
to fifteen miles to mill, wait until it was ground, give one 
tenth of it to the miller for toll, and then return. In times 
of hurry, the girls were often sent to mill in this way. 
Later, when roads became better, and wagons more com- 
mon, he would take a larger grist to mill. Schuyler's mill 
here at Old Saratoga was the only grist mill within 
twelve miles for many years. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 255 

Amusements 

The modes of diversion and amusement in those days 
were exceedingly hmited. Books were rare and costly; 
in the average home three or four books made up the 
library, and most of these were quite sure to be of a relig- 
ious character. Only here and there was a man who felt 
that he could afford a weekly newspaper. Magazines and 
periodicals, such as we have, were then undreamed of. 
Holidays and occasions for public gatherings were rare. 
The weekly church service was that which more than 
any other helped to break up the monotony of rural life. 
There the people got together not only for worship, but 
incidentally to exchange a bit of gossip and compare 
notes on the crops, etc. In those days most everyone 
went to "meetin" on Sunday. The church was then the 
most influential factor in the moulding of public and pri- 
vate character, and it did a splendid service judging from 
the kind of men and women it turned out. There were 
usually two services, each from two to three hours long, 
with an intermission for lunch, relief and warming up ; 
for they had few fires in churches until after 1800. 

The "logging bees" and "raisin's" often punctuated 
the humdrum of farm life for the men, and the "quiltin' 
bees" for the women. The pioneer farmer would fell an 
acre or so of timber, cut it up in suitable lengths for 
handling, then call in his neighbors for miles around with 
their teams to help him draw them together in piles for 
burning. They would usually respond with alacrity, for 
after the logging came a bountiful repast for which they 
had no lack of appetite. For raising the heavy frame of 
a new barn, for example, he required similar help, which 
was ever readily given. Hard cider, and plenty to eat,. 



256 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

besides a chance to get together were the attractions. 
On all such occasions the boys and young men would get 
to scuffling, wrestling, and in all sorts of ways would test 
their comparative strength and agility. The quilting 
bees were more of a social event, for after the. quilting the 
"men folks" usually came in to tea, and then "all hands" 
would stay and spend the evening. 

In the fall the husking-bees and the paring-bees were 
very popular, especially among the young folks. For the 
husking-bee a pleasant evening, a big bon-fire out in the 
field, the corn arranged conveniently around, or stripped 
from the stalks and distributed about in piles were the 
ideal conditions. Here a jolly crowd of youngsters would 
gather, and whenever a young fellow found a red ear he 
had the right to kiss his best girl, and if perchance she 
should find one, she was sure to be similarly maltreated. 
We can imagine how eagerly those red ears would be 
sought for — by the boys. After the husking came the 
feast and frolic. The paring or apple-bees were gotten 
up more especially for the young folks. Bushels of 
apples were first pared and quartered for the hostess to 
dry, and then came the feed and the fun. "Measuring- 
tape," "picking cherries" and other kissing games pre- 
dominated. These events filled the place of the modern 
parties and hops. We notice, since there was so much 
to be done in those days, that they always managed to 
mix a little work with the play. Women never went to 
make a call or visit unless they took along their knitting. 
Martha Washington, the first lady in the land, set a good 
example in this particular. 

Subsequent to the Revolution what was called General 
Training became the great public event of the year in 
rural districts. Fourth of Tulv celebrations stood next 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



257 



to it in favor. Under the old militia system the different 
companies of a regiment were required to assemble at 
some appointed place on a specified day for inspection 
and training before a general officer. This usually 
occurred in September. The place for the general train- 
ing in this district was at Emerson's Corners, a popular 
resort. Everybody looked forward to this day as a gen- 
eral picnic and holiday. All within a radius of twenty 
miles, who could possibly arrange it, would be sure to go 
to "General Trainin'." Besides the pomp and circum- 
stance of military display, and the stirring music of fife 
and drum, there was lots of visiting to be done, the occa- 
sional fakir to be watched, and what was of more conse- 
quence to the small boy and girl, the stands and wagons 
where they sold birch beer and gingerbread, had to be 
interviewed. Hard cider and scrub horse races also 
received their full share of attention. The general train- 
ing was done away with about 1850, when the County 
Fair took its place. Up to the time of the Civil War the 
Fourth of July celebration, with its processions, its 
grandiloquent orations, and its fireworks, was enormously 
popular. 

Transportation 

The means of transportation in the early days were 
very primitive. In the first place the roads were poor 
and rough beyond anything we know in these days ; and 
yet to this day we have abundant cause for complaint. 
The easiest mode of travel by land was a-foot, or on horse- 
back. Wagons were then very heavy and without 
springs. Steel springs did not come into use until 1835 
or '40. Coaches and fine carriages were hung on leather 
straps, called thorough-braces, which helped to ease the 

ir 



258 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

jolts. It was a day's journey by wagon from Old Sara- 
toga to Troy or Albany in 1800, and for years afterwards. 
D. A. Bullard told the writer that about 1830 Philip 
Schuyler, 2d, had a team of blacks which would take him 
to Albany in three hours. They were the admiration and 
wonder of the whole countryside. From Albany to New 
York by sloop was a voyage of from three to eight days. 
Hence in those days few people ever got far from home, 
and a journey to New York quite distinguished a man 
among his neighbors. The swiftest mode of communica- 
tion then was by relays of horses, for both post riding and 
coaching; for they had no steamboats before 1807, nor 
steam cars before 1831, nor trolleys, nor automobiles, nor 
bicycles, no telegraphs nor telephones. New York was 
as far from Saratoga then as are San Francisco and Liver- 
pool from New York now in 1900. And yet life was 
worth the livine in 1800. 



CHAPTER IV 

Revolutionary Trials 

After the conquest of Canada by Britain in 1760, people 
very naturally believed that Old Saratoga had seen the 
last of war and bloodshed, hence, as we have learned, 
they began to flock to this fertile vale. But hardly had 
they settled here in appreciable numbers before Mother 
England began to stir up strife with her Colonies. Par- 
liament started in to vex the righteous souls of the Colo- 
nists with the most unwise and impolitic legislation. 
Their constitutional rights as freeborn subjects were 
ruthlessly circumscribed. Naturally enough this was 
resented, and respectful remonstrances were sent to the 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



259 



home government in the hope that the obnoxious acts 
might be reconsidered, but in vain. The Stamp Act of 
1765 aroused the indignation of every thinking and self- 
respecting freeman. But nowhere did the flame of resent- 
ment burn more fiercely than in the province of New 
York. In New York City the first liberty pole was 
erected, and there that patriotic order of the Sons of 
Liberty originated which did so much to nerve the people 
for the struggle. 

The People Take Sides 

News traveled very slowly in those days, but all of it 
finally reached the inhabitants of this district and kindled 
the same fires in their breasts as it had elsewhere. But 
when they came to talk about armed resistance to Eng- 
land's encroachments, here, as in other localities, there was 
a diversity of opinion, and heated discussions were sure 
to be held wherever men congregated. But when the 
news came that British soldiers had wantonly spilt Ameri- 
can blood, at Lexington and Concord, many of the waver- 
ing went over to the majority and decided to risk their 
all for liberty. Some, however, remained loyal to the 
king. In this they were no doubt conscientious, and their 
liberty of conscience was quite generally respected except 
in the cases of those violent partisans who took up arms 
for Britain against their neighbors or gave succor to the 
enemy. 

Philip Schuyler had several times been chosen to repre- 
sent the County of Albany in the New York Colonial 
Assembly. Says Lossing in his Life of Schuyler: 
"Schuyler espoused the cause of his countrymen from 
the beginning, fully understanding the merits of the con- 
troversy. His judgment, his love of order, and his social 



26o THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

position made him cautious and conciliating till the time 
for decisive action arrived." But when that time came 
we find him standing alone in the Assembly with George 
Clinton and one or two others against the satellites of 
King George, for the rights of the people and the consti- 
tution. He was also chosen a delegate to the Provincial 
Convention, after that assembly had refused to cooperate 
with the other colonies in their hostility to the unlawful 
acts of Parliament. By that convention he was chosen a 
delegate to the Continental Congress on the 20th of 
April, 1775. 

The News of Lexington 

The news of the battle of Lexington reached New 
York on the 23d of April, just after Schuyler had started 
for his home. It followed him up the river, but did not 
overtake him till he reached Saratoga, on Saturday after- 
noon the 29th ; i. e., the news was then six days old in 
New York and ten days old in Boston. That same even- 
ing, writing to his friend John Cruger, he said among 
other things : "For my own part, much as I love peace, 
much as I love my domestic happiness and repose, and 
desire to see my countrymen enjoying the blessings of 
undisturbed industry, I would rather see all these scat- 
tered to the winds for a time, and the sword of desolation 
go over the land, than to recede one line from the just and 
righteous position we have taken as freeborn subjects of 
Great Britain." That this w^as not mere gush and senti- 
ment is proven by the fact that Philip Schuyler lived right 
up to the level of that heroic declaration, as we have 
already seen. In a private letter to James Duane, dated 
here at Saratoga, December 19, 1778, he says: 'T am 
;f20,ooo ($100,000) in specie worse off than when the 
war began," and that was five years before the war closed. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 261 

Excepting Robert Morris, the financier of the Revolution, 
it would be interesting to know if the struggle for Inde- 
pendence cost any one man more in money and property 
than it did Philip Schuyler. 

The next day after the receipt of the aforesaid news 
Schuyler, as was his custom, attended divine service at 
the old (Dutch) Reformed Church, then standing in the 
angle of the river and Victory roads. The "wSexagenary" 
(John P. Becker), who was present at the same service, 
writes of it thus: "The first intelligence which gave 
alarm to our neighborhood, and indicated the breaking 
asunder of the ties which boimd the colonies to the 
mother country, reached us on Sunday morning. We 
attended at divine service that day at Schuyler's Flats. 
1 well remember, notwithstanding my youth, the impres- 
sive manner with which, in my hearing, my father told 
my uncle that blood had been shed at Lexington. The 
startling intelligence spread like fire among the congre- 
gation. The preacher was listened to with very little 
attention. After the morning discourse was finished, and 
the people were dismissed, we gathered about Gen. Philip 
Schuyler for further information. Pie was the oracle of 
our neighborhood. We looked up to him with a feeling 
of respect and affection. His popularity was unbounded ; 
his views upon all subjects were considered sound, and 
his anticipations almost prophetic. On this occasion he 
confirmed the intelligence already received, and expressed 
his belief that an important crisis had arrived which must 
sever us forever from the parent country." 

This news had a very warlike ring to it. Soon after 
this the militia began to organize hereabouts and train for 
service. It is to be presumed, however, that when those 
good people heard of Lexington that Sunday morning. 



2 62 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

they did not dream that the dogs of war were about to 
be let loose at their own doors, and that they would soon 
be called upon to pass through a very gehenna of suffer- 
ing and loss, the like of which neither Lexington, nor 
Concord, nor Boston ever knew. Nor had these dwellers 
in this warworn valley long to wait before they began 
to experience the realities of the mighty struggle thus 
inaugurated. In less than two weeks after the news of 
Lexington had reached them the country was electrified 
by news of the capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, 
just to the north. 

About this time Schuyler left for Philadelphia to be in 
attendance at the Continental Congress. On the 15th of 
June he was appointed as one of the four Major Generals. 
He was immediately placed in command of the Northern 
Department, which included the Province of New York, 
north and west of Albany. Not long thereafter the 
farm.ers and others along the upper Hudson, who owned 
teams of horses, were employed to transport part of the 
captured military stores to safer places south and east. 

Farmers Impressed into Service 

At the beginning of the winter, 1775, these farmers 
were again pressed into the service of Congress to trans- 
port some of the captured cannon from Lake George to 
Boston, where Washington needed them .to help persuade 
the British that they should evacuate that city and leave 
it to its lawful owners. 

Among those in this vicinity who assisted in that work 
was Peter Becker, the father of the "Sexagenary," who 
lived across the river from Schuylerville. Col. Henry 
Knox, who afterward became the noted General, and 
chief of artillery, was sent on to superintend their 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 263 

removal. He first caused to be constructed some fifty 
big wooden sleds. The cannon selected for removal were 
nine to twenty-four pounders, also several howitzers. 
They already had been transported from Ticonderoga to 
the head of Lake George. From four to eight horses 
were hitched to each sled, so that when once under way, 
they made an imposing cavalcade. They were brought 
down this way to Albany, taken across the river, thence 
down through Kinderhook to Clavarack, thence east to 
Springfield, Mass. There the New Yorkers were dis- 
missed to their homes, and New England ox teams took 
their places. Those cannon once in the hands of Wash- 
ington proved to be potent persuaders indeed, for when 
the morning of the 5th of March, 1776, dawned the 
British were astounded to see a whole row of them 
frowning down from Dorchester Heights, prepared to 
hurl death and destruction upon them. The British lion 
loosed his grip at once and got out. 

During the fall of that same year, 1775, the army under 
Schuyler and Montgomery, destined for the conquest of 
Canada, passed up through here. Subsequently there fol- 
lowed in its wake great trains of supply wagons, or fleets 
of bateaux, carrying provisions for its sustenance. The 
following spring the people here were compelled to wit- 
ness the harrowing spectacle of detachments of the 
wounded, the diseased and dispirited troops returning 
from that ill-starred expedition. The barracks located 
here were filled with the sick and disabled soldiers, many 
of whom died and were buried here in nameless graves. 

The Flight 

But it was the year of 1777 that was fullest of distress 
for those pioneer Saratogans. In our military annals we 



264 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

have endeavored to depict the way in which they were 
compelled to abandon their homes, and seek shelter 
among their sympathetic compatriots below. While the 
loss of Ticonderoga, that year, filled the hearts of the 
patriots everywhere with despondency, it spread conster- 
nation among the people hereabouts who lived right in the 
track of the invading host, and who felt that it would 
soon be upon them. 

General Schuyler had agreed to give timely notice to 
the leading citizens here, should he feel compelled to 
retire before Burgoyne; but apparently he had not reck- 
oned upon the peculiar tactics of Burgoyne's Indians. 
They slipped by him on either side and spread terror 
down through the valley of the Hudson by their many 
atrocities. It was their appearance, not Burgoyne's main 
army, that caused the sudden stampede of the inhabitants. 
Seized with panic they, in many cases, abandoned much 
valuable property, which might have been saved. Cattle 
and sheep were often turned into the woods, which might 
have been driven along; and many of their household 
treasures could have been carried away or hidden had 
they been a little more deliberate in their departure. But 
it is always easy to say what ought to have been done 
after the event. 

After the Return, Tory Raids 

After the surrender of Burgoyne many of the fugitive 
families ventured back to their homes ; but if they fancied 
that the annihilation of his army had conquered an imme- 
diate and unbroken peace for this locality, they were) 
doomed once more to disappointment. While no consid- 
erable force ever again ventured this way from Canada, 
yet small bands of malignant Tories, accompanied by 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 265 

Indians, made frequent forays, destroying property and 
carrying away leading citizens into Canada. These 
periodic raids kept the inhabitants on the rack of appre- 
hension until the end of the war. 

Gen. Edward F. Bullard. in his Fourth of July (1876) 
address on the History of Saratoga, relates the following 
incident characteristic of that time : "The raid of May, 
1779, more immediately affected this locality, and the 
few inhabitants scattered in the interior fled from it to 
avoid certain destruction. After the surrender of Bur- 
goyne, Conrad Cramer had returned to his farm (now 
the John Hicks Smith place) and was living there with 
his wife and four small children, when, on the 14th of 
May, they had to flee for their lives. They hastily packed 
their wagon with what comforts one team could carry, 
and started on their flight southerly. They reached thle 
river road and proceeded as far south as the farm now 
owned by Jacob Lohnas, about five miles south of Schuy- 
lerville, when night overtook them. At that place there 
was a small house used as a tavern, but as it was already 
full, the Cramer family were obliged to remain in their 
wagon, and that same evening the mother gave birth to 
a child (John Cramer) who afterward became, probably, 
the most distinguished person ever born in this town. He 
weighed less than four pounds at his birth, and his par- 
ents had little hopes of rearing him. At manhood he 
became a very broad-chested, large-headed man, with an 
iron constitution and a giant intellect. The next morning 
the family continued its flight to what is now known as 
the Fitzgerald neighborhood, about three miles below 
Mechanicville, where they obtained a small house in 
which they remained until it was considered safe to return 
to their home in the wilderness." 



2 66 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The "Sexagenary" relates how their family had been 
threatened by the Tory Lovelass and his band one night, 
but that he had been frightened off by the barking of 
their dogs, which clamor also awoke the family and put 
them on their guard. He also relates how the farmers 
made watch towers of their straw and hay stacks, leav- 
ing a sort of nest on the top, in which two watchmen 
would station themselves, one remaining on guard while 
the other slept. 

After the farmers had threshed their grain in the fall, 
they would take it down to Albany for safe storage; 
going after it from time to time as they needed it. Dur- 
ing the Burgoyne campaign, Gates' quartermasters often 
compelled the farmers, along the valley, to give up their 
grain, etc., for the use of the army. These goods were 
appraised, and receipts were given. These receipts were 
really governmental promises to pay the price of the 
goods named therein on presentation of the same. But 
few of those receipts were ever honored ; because of an 
empty public treasury. 

■ It is a fact which has never been sufficiently empha- 
sized that the inhabitants of the Mohawk and upper 
Hudson valleys paid, as their share of the price of our 
precious liberties, a sum out of all proportion to their num- 
bers and wealth. Parts of New Jersey, however, suffered 
much; but not one of the states suffered as did New 
York in life and property, and yet she was the only one 
who furnished her full quota of men to fight the common 
battles. 

It is well for us to at least attempt an estimate of what 
our liberties have cost, that we may the better realize 
their value, and so be the more ready to guard them. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 267 



CHAPTER V 

The Several Schuyler Mansions and Their 
Occupants 

The house now standing is the last of a series of three. 
Its ])redecessors met with a tragic fate, as we have already 
had occasion to notice. They were both offered as a burnt 
sacrifice to the insatiable Moloch ot war. A brief resume 
cf their story, however, seems necessary as a fitting intro- 
duction to the history of the present mansion. 

Mansion No. i 

When the first of the three was built is not known ; but 
it was doubtless erected by Johannes Schuyler anywhere 
between 1720 and 1745. All we know certainly about it 
is, that it was of brick, two stories high, with thick walls 
pierced for musketry, and was designed to serve as a fort 
as well as a dwelling. It was burned by the French on 
the night of the 28th of November, 1745. Its sole 
defender on that awful night was Philip Schuyler, the son 
of Johannes, and uncle of General Ph. Schuyler. The 
Frenchman, Beauvais, who confesses to the slaughter of 
Schuyler, says that on summoning him to surrender, he 
replied by calling him bad names and by shooting at him. 
Beauvais then gave him one more chance for his life, but 
receiving the same defiant answer, thereupon he fired and 
shot him dead. Having pillaged the house, they then 
burned it over his bleeding body. An indefinite number 
of other occupants having sought refuge in the cellar, 
perished in the flames. Beauvais compliments Schuyler 
by saying that had the house been defended by a dozen 
men as brave and resolute as himself they would have 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 269 

been unmolested. Such is the Frenchman's story. The 
picture drawn by him, as is perfectly natural, is no doubt 
presented in the lightest shades possible. It makes one 
wish, however, that he could know Capt. Philip Schuy- 
ler's side of the story. 

This house stood about twenty rods directly east of 
the present structure, on the bank of the canal. When 
the canal was widened in 1855, part of the cellar walls 
were exposed, and in 1895 they were completely un- 
earthed, when many interesting relics were found in the 
ruins. The terrace on which the house stood has been 
excavated for a long distance back by the canal authori- 
ties. Twenty-six feet was the north and south dimension 
of the house, or at least of the cellar ; but the work of 
excavation proceeded so slowly, the walls being removed 
in the process, that the east and west dimension was never 
ascertained. One regrets that those walls, and the well- 
preserved fire place there discovered, could not have been 
preserved as relics of, and monuments to, the brave but 
hapless victims of that frontier village. 

Mansion No. 2 

For some eighteen years after the massacre old Sara- 
toga remained but sparsely settled, until another Philip 
Schuyler appeared on the scene about 1763. Soon after 
his advent the mills began to whirr and the meadows 
blossom again. Under his magic touch the business 
developed so rapidly here that he found he must spend 
less time in Albany and more in Saratoga, so he built a 
spacious summer home for himself and family here about 
1766. Tradition has it that this house was considerably 
larger and more pretentious than the present one. The 
ground plan of it, given on Burgoyne's map of Saratoga, 



2 70 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

tends to confirm this tradition. We have copied this plan, 
as also of the other buildings, in our map of old Saratoga 
(which see). This second house was located about 
twelve rods southeast of the present mansion. Part of its 
walls were unearthed and removed by the ruthless hand 
of the canal excavator. Many relics of pottery, etc., were 
found at that time. 

This house served as the summer home of the Schuy- 
lers seven or eight months in the year, for at least ten 
years. During that period its illustrious owner was less 
occupied with public affairs than at any other period in his 
active life and could give more attention to the demands 
of the home and his private business than at any other 
subseqi:ent time. 

Philip Schuyler and Family 

Philip Schuyler was the son of John Schuyler and 
Cornelia Van Cortlandt, and grandson of Johannes 
Schuyler, the hero of the French expedition of 1690. He 
was born at Albany in 1733, corner of State and Pearl 
streets. Catherine Van Rensselaer, daughter of Angelica 
Livingston and John Van Rensselaer, who became his 
wife, was born in the Crailo, Greenbush, (still standing), 
in 1734. Philip Schuyler, at the age of twenty-one, was 
commissioned Captain of an Albany company in the 
French and Indian war. It was after the battle of Lake 
George, September 8th, 1755, where Johnson defeated 
Dieskau, that his Colonel considerately granted him a 
furlough to return home and consummate his marital bar- 
gain with his "sweet Kitty V. R." 

Mrs. Catherine Schuyler is described as being a very 
beautiful woman, rather small and delicate, but "perfect 
in form and feature, extremely graceful in her move- 




y / 



^ / './.'^ ^'. 



272 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

ments, and winning in her deportment." Her tastes 
seemed to lead her to prefer the quiet seclusion of domes- 
ticity to the excitement incident to society and 
official life. Her youngest daughter, writing of her says : 
"She possessed courage and prudence in a great degree, 
but these were exerted only in her domestic sphere. At 
the head of a large family of children and servants, her 
management was so excellent that everything went on 
with a regularity which appeared spontaneous." Sara- 
toga tradition pictures her as a noble and charitable lady. 
Quoting her daughter again on this point, we catch a 
glimpse of the basis for such tradition : "Perhaps I may 
relate of my mother, as a judicious act of kindness, that 
she not unfrequently sent a milch cow to persons in 
poverty." 

She became the mother of eleven children, eight of 
whom reached maturity. The names of these and the 
marriages they contracted are as follows : 

Angelica, married John Barker Church, son of a mem- 
ber of Parliament. 

Elizabeth, married Alexander Hamilton, the great 
statesman and first Secretary of the Treasury of the 
United States. 

Margarita, married Stephen Van Rensselaer, the last 
of the Patroons. 

John Bradstreet, married Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, 
sister of Stephen. 

Philip Jeremiah, married ( i ) Sarah Rutzen, of New 
York; (2) Mary A. Sawyer, of Boston. 

Rensselaer, married Eliza Tenbroeck. 

Cornelia, married Washington Morton, son of General 
Morton. 

Catherine Van Rensselaer, married ( i ) Samuel Mai- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 273 

colm, son of General Malcolm; (2) James Cochran, son 
of Dr. Cochran, surgeon-in-chief of the American army. 

The old mansion with its romantic environment became 
the summer playground of these children, and was, no 
doubt, to them, as it has been to their many successors, 
the dearest spot on earth. In those days when there were 
no public schools, all who could afford it employed tutors 
and French governesses for their children who, while 
engaged in their work, often became members of the 
family. The Schuyler mansion here had its particular 
apartment known as the school-room, as nmch attention 
was given by the Schuylers, generally, to the education 
of their children. 

According to all accounts the busiest place within 
twenty-five miles around, before, and immediately after, 
the Revolution, was within the precincts of the old 
Schuyler house on the south side of Fish creek. Not 
only were many artisans employed here, as we have 
learned in a previous chapter, but teamsters, bateaumen 
3.rjd raftsmen were much in demand to transport the 
products of the mills and farms down to tide water at 
Albany. 

;: Revolutionary Experiences 

But the agitation connected with the troubles with Eng- 
land ere long began to ruffle the smoothly flowing tide of 
business, which had set so strongly in this direction. 
Colonel Schuyler began to be more and more in demand 
to represent the County of Albany in Provincial Assem- 
blies, Indian Councils and Conventions, but when freed 
from these public duties he would hasten eagerly back to 
bis beloved Saratoga. It was here that he heard the news 



2 74 ^^^ STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

of Lexington. From here he sent forth most of thos.^ 
stirring appeals that proved so intiuential in holding many 
of New York's leading families to the cause of liberty. 
It was from here that he went as an honored delegate to 
the Continental Congress at Philadelphia in 1775, which 
body soon appointed him to the high and responsible office 
of Major General. The acceptance of that office meant 
good-by to the quiet of home and the pursuits of a busi- 
ness delightfully congenial to him, and the launching out 
upon the treacherous sea of military life as a leader in a 
rebellion which might easily cost everything dear to his 
heart, and which did cost him a vast sum of treasure and 
suffering unspeakable in both body and mind; but from 
which he emerged with honor untarnished, an ornament 
to American manhood, and a credit to the cause he had 
espoused. Much of the time during those eventful years 
of 1775 and 1776, which saw the expedition led against 
Canada under his supervision, and its utter defeat, 
through no fault of his own, he was confined at Old wSara- 
toga by a most painful hereditary malady (the gout), 
brought on by overexertion. 

During those years the great storehouses and barracks, 
which he had erected here, proved to be of incalculable 
service as shelter to the soldiery marching either north 
or south and as a depot for army supplies. 

Distinguished Guests 

This house, like its successor, harbored many distin- 
guished guests, among which was the brave, the much 
loved, but ill-fated Montgomery. It was also especially 
honored by the presence of three distinguished men sent 
by Congress in 1776 as special Commissioners to concili- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



275 



ate Canada and attach its people to the cause of America. 
They passed through here earl}^ in April of that year and 
returned from their fruitless mission in time for each of 
them to affix his signature to the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence on the 4th of July following. 

These men were first : Samuel Chase, delegate to Con- 
gress from ]\Iaryland, a most zealous patriot, and 
afterward a judge of the Supreme Court of the United 
States. 

The second was Charles Carroll, another delegate from 
Maryland. Of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration, 
Charles Carroll of Carrollton is noted as having been the 
wealthiest man, the only Roman Catholic, and the last 
survivor of the immortal band who pledged their lives, 
their fortunes, and their sacred honor, for the support of 
the cause of liberty in America. On their arrival at Al- 
bany from the south they were invited to partake of the 
hospitality of General Schuyler. Charles Carroll, in his 
journal wrote that, "He behaved to us with great civility ; 
lives in pretty style; has two daughters (Betsy and 
Peggy), lively, agreeable, black-eyed gals."^^^ 

The third was Benjamin Franklin, one whose memory 
the world yet delights to honor as a statesman, as a jour- 
nalist, as a diplomatist, as an inventor, and a philosopher ; 
for in each of these spheres he achieved undoubted great- 
ness. We should especially remember that it was through 
his skillful diplomacy at the court of Louis XVI. and the 
use he was enabled to make of the victory over Burgoyne 
and the capture of the British army here at Saratoga that 
the French alliance was consummated and through which 
we were enabled to carrv that war to a successful issue. 



^^3 Afterwards the wives of General Hamilton and Stephen Van Ken- 
selaer, last of the Patroons. 



276 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Attempt on Schuyler's Life 

During the Campaign of 1777, interest in house No. 2 
reaches its cuhnination. It was no doubt while stopping 
here for the night on one of his frequent trips up and 
down the valley connected with Burgoyne's advance that 
General Schuyler came near figuring as the hero of a 
tragedy. An Indian had insinuated himself into the 
house, evidently for the purpose of murdering the 
General, on whose head a price had been set by the 
British. It was the hour of bedtime in the evening, and 
while he was preparing to retire for the night, a femalq 
servant coming in from the hall, saw a gleam of light 
reflected from the blade of a knife in the hand of some 
person, whose dark outline she discovered behind the 
door. The servant was a black slave who had sufficient 
presence of mind not to appear to have made the dis- 
covery. Passing directly though the door into the apart- 
ment where the General was yet standing near the fire- 
place, with an air of unconcern she pretended to arrange 
such articles as were disposed upon the mantelpiece, while 
in an undertone she informed her master of her discovery, 
and said aloud: ''I will call the guard." The General 
instantly seized his arms, while the faithful servant hur- 
ried out by another door into a long hall, upon the floor of 
which lay a loose board which creaked beneath the tread. 
By the noise she made, in tramping rapidly upon the 
board, the Indian, who was led to suppose that "thej 
Philistines were upon him in numbers, sprang from his 
concealment and fled. He was pursued, however, by the 
guard and a few friendly Indians attached to the person 
of General Schuyler, overtaken, and made a prisoner."^-* 



"^^ Gen. J. Watts De Peyster in Godchild of Washington, p. 396. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 277 

Mrs. Schuyler Burns the Wheat Fields 

Coincident with the arrival of the vanguard of Bur- 
goyne's army at Sandy Hill, about the 26th of July, 1777, 
the Indians made those raids down through the valley 
which frightened away the inhabitants as we have before 
related. It must have been about the last of July of that 
year when the following incident occurred which not only 
exhibited the quality of Schuyler's patriotism, but also 
tried the metal of his noble wife. Apprised by her hus- 
band that there was little prospect of checking Burgoyne's 
advance down the Hudson, Mrs. Schuyler decided that 
everything valuable must be removed from the country 
home at Saratoga. So with her "coach and four," accom- 
panied by a single guard on horseback, she started for 
the north. In the vicinity of Coveville she encountered 
the vanguard of what proved to be a regular procession 
of panic stricken inhabitants fleeing "from the wrath to 
come" in the shape of a horde of plumed and painted 
savages, allies of Britain. Many of the people recognized 
Mrs. Schuyler and warned her to proceed no further. 
They recited the fate of Jane McCrea, and the murder of 
the Allen family at Argyle. They assured her that by 
going further she took her life in her own hand and was 
riding straight into the jaws of death. After facing a 
crowd of men and women, crazed by fear, and listening 
to such terrifying tales of atrocities committed only yes- 
terday, and especially since she knew that just before her 
was a dense wood through which she must pass for two 
miles, and which might easily be the lair of savages watch- 
ing for prey, and that she had but one man as guard, it 
required an unusual amount of nerve to press on. Did 
she have it? Yes, and a wealth of it. To her solicitous 





MRS. PHILIP SCHUYLER 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 279 

advisers she replied : "The wife of the General must not 
be afraid," and bade her coachman to proceed. She 
reached her home in safety and succeeded in her purpose. 
While employed in this work she received a letter from 
her husband, the General, in which he directed her to set 
fire to the wheat fields, which she did with her own hands, 
to the great astonishment of her negro servants. "^-^ The 
reason for this was to induce their tenants and others to 
do the same rather than suffer their crops to be reaped by 
the enemy for the support of his troops. Having com- 
pleted her task, it occurred to her that the army might 
have need for more horses at this critical juncture, so she 
sent her own up to Fort Edward, while for herself she 
extemporized a conveyance of more modest mien. She 
ordered to the door an ox team, hitched to a wooden sled, 
which she boarded and started for Albany. Truly a 
woman of such heroic mould was worthy to be mate"d 
with such a man. That was the last time she saw the old 
home where she and her little ones had spent so many 
happy summers. 

Burgoyne's Carouse 

The next time the old house plays a noteworthy part in 
story was the night of the 9th of October following. On 
the 15th of September its vacant windows stared out upon 
the serried hosts of King George, recently from Canada, 
as they streamed by with airy step confident in their abil- 
ity to drive the dastardly rebels before them like a flock 
of sheep. On the 9th of October it beheld the same host 
file past on the backward track, defeated, crestfallen, wet 
and bedraggled, and every man's breast heaving with 

125 Godchild of Washington, p. 395. 



28o THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

sighs for another sight of Canada. But apparently the 
least anxious man in that entire army was its commander. 
The late battle, the preparation for retreat, the all-night 
march in the rain, with its attendant confusion and extra 
labor, had served to keep this sybarite General from 
indulging his accustomed carouse. So when late on the 
9th the army moved up from its protracted and unwel- 
come rest at Dovegat, it supposed that the race for Can- 
ada was now really on ; not so Burgoyne, who had other 
plans in mind. He had bethought himself of the home 
of Schuyler, with all its conveniences and comforts, which 
he had sampled on his way down. Such an opportunity 
for a good time must not be lightly thrown aside, there- 
fore, what though his Generals were eager to make the 
most of the precious moments for escape ; what though 
the poor soldiers were forced to bivouac on the cold, wet 
ground, without covering — all such considerations must 
be thrust aside as of little worth compared with the oppor- 
tunity to hold wassail for one more night at this wayside 
hostelry. 

Having summ.oned the several kindred spirits in the 
army to meet him there, not forgetting the frail wife of 
a commissary who served as his mistress, together with 
his principal Generals, some of whom we know accepted 
the invitation with vigorous, though silent, protest, the 
feast began. General Hamilton's brigade was retained on 
the south side of the creek to see that his Excellency's 
pleasures should not be rudely disturbed by inconsiderate 
rebels. Soon the old house is brilliant with hundreds of 
candles and plenty of pine knots blazing on the hearths, 
the fire-waters flow freely, glasses clink, rude jokes, 
drinking songs, and shouts of ribald laughter make the 
empty rooms above echo to the Bacchanalian orgies. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 281 

Being- both a poet and a dramatist, Burgoyne was a prince 
of entertainers ; full of 

Quips and cranks and wanton wiles, 
Nods and becks and wreathed smiles. 

But it is ''no time to break jests when the heart strings 
are about to be broken." In the midst of their revels, 
when all, but the few who felt the gravity of the situation, 
were maudlin with drink, they were startled by an angry 
glare from without which quickly paled the lights within, 
accompanied by a cry of fire, that put a sudden and 
effectual stop to the untimely feast. All rushed forth to 
learn that the barracks in which many of the sick and 
wounded had found shelter for the night had caught fire 
accidentally^^*^ and were all ablaze. It was only by the 
■most heroic exertions that the poor fellows were saved 
from a horrible death. 

The next morning Burgoyne with the rear of his army 
forded to the north side of Fish creek. That was the 
nearest he and his army ever got to Canada, so greatly 
longed for, on their return trip. 

Burgoyne Burns Mansion No. 2 

During Gates' abortive attack on the British camp the 
morning of the nth, Burgoyne discovered that such of 
the Schuyler buildings as had escaped the fire, shielded 
his enemy and interfered with the play of his artillery. 
He thereupon ordered them to be set on fire.^-^ 



126 See account of Sergeant Lamb, in Stone's Burgoyne's Campaign, p. 
344; also p. 3^7. 

^'' Seventeen buildings are marked down on the British map; six of 
them evidently were very large, and were doubtless the barracks afore- 
mentioned. 



282 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Since General Schuyler acknowledged to Burgoyne, as 
he alleged, that their burning, from the British stand- 
point, was a military necessity, it is clearly unfair to 
charge Burgoyne with wantonness, as is so often done. 
But General Schuyler's magnanimous behavior at the 
scene of the surrender when General Burgoyne attempted 
to apologize for the destruction of his property, his cour- 
tesy toward the Baroness Riedesel, and his hospitable 
treatment of them all at his home in Albany afford one 
of the finest exhibitions on record of the "golden rule" in 
practice. The like of it is seldom seen outside the lives 
of the saints. 

On October 12th, Col. Richard Varick writing to 
General Schuyler, then in Albany, says : "No part of 
your buildings escaped their malice except a small out- 
building, and your upper sawmill,^-® which is in the same 
situation we left it. Hardly a vestige of the fences is 
left except a few rails of the garden. ''^^^ 

JVEansion No. 3 

After the surrender and the departure of the British 
army General Schuyler remained behind to survey the 
ruins of his property, and make plans for resurrecting his 
home from the ashes. Local tradition, in perfect agree- 
ment with the Schuyler family tradition, says that house 
number three (yet standing), was built by the soldiers of 
Gates' army in seventeen days. Many have doubted the 
credibility of this story, but the writer in his researches 
has found that which renders it altogether probable. 



123 This sawmill was located at Victory. The dam was where the stone 
bridge now is, and the mill was on the right side of the stream, on the 
little flat a short distance below. Tiie dam and mill stood till about 1848. 

12* N. Y. Historical Society Collections. Vol XII. Schuyler Papers. 



284 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

In a letter to Congress dated Saratoga, November 4, 
1777, Schuyler says : "On the 2d instant two British 
officers on their way to Canada took shelter in a violent 
storm of rain in my little hut, the only remains of all my 
buildings in this quarter." These men got into an alter- 
cation over the respective merits of General Burgoyne 
and Sir Guy Carleton, and inadvertently let some state 
secrets out of the bag, which Schuyler thought worthy 
of transmission to Congress, hence this letter. Toward 
the close of it he says, incidentally : "In less tlian twenty 
days I shall nearly complete a comfortable house for the 
reception of my family." This he wrote seventeen days 
after the surrender. It is fair to presume, therefore, that 
having quickly decided to rebuild he secured Gates' con- 
sent to use such mechanics as he could find in the army. 
He at once set his mill at Victory to work sawing the 
lumber, (there is no hewed timber in the building), set 
men and teams at the cellar and drawing stone from the 
hills ; sent to Albany for windows, hardware, trimmings, 
etc., and then when the material was ready put as many 
men on the job as could work without interference, and 
no doubt had the building habitable in the specified time. 
It was such a remarkable feat in house-building that the 
story of it would very naturally live in any neighborhood 
for a long while thereafter. The like of it would create 
a sensation even in these days of much machinery. 
Schuyler evidently engineered the whole work, and, by 
the way, it required generalship of no mean order to keep 
hundreds of men of different craft cooperating on one 
small job without getting in each other's way, or await- 
ing each other's motions. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 285 

Description of AIansion No. 3 

Only the main structure, 22 by 60 feet, was built at that 
time; additions on the east side and also the present 
kitchen were put on later. The cellar extends under the 
whole of this part, and is deep, dry and airy. It is divided 
into three parts. The south end has in it a large fire- 
place, and for a while was used as the kitchen ; the center 
one was the wine cellar, and the north end was used as 
a storeroom for provisions, but not vegetables. The 
vegetable cellar was separate from the house and was 
located about twenty- five feet from the southeast corner 
of the main house. The floor timbers are of oak 10 by 12 
inches in size and four feet apart. 

On entering the house you first pass under the spacious 
veranda 103^ by 60 feet. One tradition says originally 
there was no veranda, only a Dutch porch over the front 
door, with side seats. But this is disputed. At all events 
there have been several changes here, for we have been 
told by those who can remember, that the first pillars 
were round, coated with stucco, and that they were 
not so high as the present ones by several feet. Mr. 
George Strover, after he came into possession, raised the 
roof of the veranda to let more light into the upper rooms, 
and substituted the present square pillars for the round 
ones. The main door is made of two thicknesses of plain 
boards laid at right angles to each other. It is furnished 
with the conventional brass knocker, but the hinges, and 
especially the lock, are curiosities. The lock is iron 7 by 
15 inches in size and 2 inches thick and furnished with a 
prodigious key, about the size of the key to the Bastile 
preserved at Mount A/'ernon. 

Entering you find yourself in a large reception hall 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 287 

17 by 19 feet. The ceiling is 9 feet 3 inches high. The 
original stairway, with its landing and turn, was long ago 
replaced by the present enclosed staircase. The hall is 
tlanked on the left and right by spacious rooms ; on the 
left by a room 18 by 20 feet used by the Schuylers as the 
dining room, now the sitting room ; on the right 
by the parlor 20 by 22 feet. This room is still 
adorned by paper put on by Philip Schuyler, 2d,. 
in preparation for the marriage of his daughter Ruth 
to Mr. T. W. Ogden, of New York, in 1836. 
The paper on the room immediately above it was also 
renewed at the same time. All of these rooms are beauti- 
fully lighted by spacious windows which retain the origi- 
nal small panes of glass. The great fire-places at either 
end of the house are also left undisturbed; in fact the 
present occupants have very considerately endeavored to 
keep the house in its original state, that is, so far as neces- 
sary repairs would admit. Back of the parlor is a long 
room formerly used as a guest chamber, and which was 
assigned to Lafayette during his visit here to the Schuy- 
lers in 1824. This is now used as a museum and contains 
many interesting relics. Opening out of the reception 
hall to the east is a smaller room which was used by 
General Schuyler and all his successors as an office. 
Between this and the guest chamber just mentioned is a 
passage through a closet; a door once led from this to 
an addition or L which ran to the east and which con- 
tained two guest chambers on each floor. This was 
removed after the property changed hands. In the rear 
of the present sitting room, you pass into a hallway 
which leads on the right to a back door, and on the left to 
the kitchen ; across this hall from the sitting room is the 
school room of the Schuylers, now used as the dining 



2 88 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

room. This tier of three rooms with the rear hall and 
kitchen were added by General Schuyler, and are all one 
step lower than the floor of the main edifice. Passing 
through this rear hall to the north you come to the great 
kitchen, which is by no means the least interesting part of 
the house. It is 2^^ by 25 feet interior dimensions. The 
opening in the fire-place is 7 feet wide by 4 feet high. 
The old brick oven on the left has been removed. Just to 
the left, as you pass out doors, the milk-room was for- 
merly situated, surrounded with lattice work and con- 
taining sunken places in the stone floor to keep the 
butter cool. 

Above the kitchen are four rooms. In the second story 
of the main house are seven bedrooms, most of them very 
large, and all provided with ample closet room. On the 
third floor is found just one's ideal of a colonial attic, 
stored with quaint old relics. In the north end of this 
attic is a very pleasant and spacious bedroom with sloping 
sides. All the doors were originally fitted with large 
brass locks, but all save two were stolen soon after the 
departure of the Schuylers. The house is full of fine old 
furniture, quite in keeping with the style and age of the 
structure, and which helps amazingly in one's effort to 
think himself back into the times of the fathers. 

A few feet to the north of the present wood-house 
formerly stood a much larger one. In the second story 
of this were the slaves' quarters. The present well is the 
same from which General Schuyler and all his distin- 
guished guests slaked their thirst. There were also 
several penstocks on the premises which poured forth 
their waters in perennial streams. 

The spacious grounds in front were not so full of trees 
in the early part of the century as now. They were then 



290 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



arranged in clumps and considerable space was given to 
shrubs and lawn. At that time a lawn ran unobstructed 
from the rear of the house eastward to the banks of the 
canal. The lilac bushes at the bottom of the excavation 
southeast of the house are descendants of the large ones 
that once ornamented the garden of house No. 2, burned 
by Burgoyne. The children were provided with great 
swings hung in the trees, and permanent see saws nicely 
made and painted dark green. 

The rebuilding of his house by General Schuyler was 
no doubt a necessary preliminary to the rehabilitation of 
his business enterprises here, that he might have a place 
of shelter while restoring his mills, etc., which had been 
destroyed. His reasons for rebuilding were no doubt, 
first, because he had faith in the ultimate success of the 
cause for which the States were struggling, and was 
ready to prove his faith by his works ; secondly, because 
there was a great demand in the country at that time for 
such merchandise as he could produce ; and thirdly, that 
he might encourage by his example the fugitive farmers 
to return to their homes. 

In pursuance of this purpose the General moved his 
family up to Saratoga during the winter of i777-'78, with 
the intention of residing here altogether. ^^° But as the 
troops were entirely withdrawn from this section in the 
spring of 1778, thus leaving the upper Hudson defense- 
less against the ever frowning north, he, with many 
others, did not think it safe to remain, and so retired to 
Albany again. There he remained until the authorities 
awoke to the unwisdom of their action, which they speed- 
ily did, and reinstated the garrisons at Saratoga and other 



ISO See Schuyler's letter to Governor Clinton, in Public Papers of George 
Clinton. Vol. III., p. i77- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



291 



places farther to the north. After the Tories had kidnap- 
ped several prominent citizens and taken them to Canada, 
the authorities thought it necessary to detail twenty-four 
men as a constant guard to General Schuyler, and despite 
the guard he came near being captured at his home in 
Albany, as we shall have occasion to relate hereafter. 
You see he was a much wanted man in both Canada and 
the States. Why ? Because he was a great leader ; from 
the Canadian standpoint, of the rebels ; from the home 
standpoint, of the patriots. 

After resigning his post in the army he was much at 
Saratoga looking after his business, but his time and 
abilities were by no means wholly devoted to the promo- 
tion of his own private interests. His withdrawal from 
public life was not followed by loss of interest in the 
cause of liberty, for which he still labored in season and 
out of season. Washington was anxious that he should 
again take command of the Northern Department, but the 
bitter experiences of the past had effectually cloyed his 
appetite for military glory, so he chose to serve his coun- 
try in less conspicuous, but none the less efficient, ways, 
as an adviser and counsellor, and a procurer of valuable 
information. 

Schuyler Builds First Road to Saratoga Springs 

But few details of the experiences of the Schuylers at 
Saratoga between the years 1777 and 1783 have come 
down to us. General Schuyler, like others at that time, 
had heard of the wonderful properties of the spring a 
dozen miles to the west, in the wilderness. As a result 
of his own and other people's investigation he became so 
convinced of its medicinal value that he determined to 
cut a road from his countrv home through the forests to 



2 92 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

the "High Rock," the only spring then known. This he 
did in the year 1783, at his own expense, and so to him 
belongs the honor of constructing the first highway by 
which the public could reach this now world famous 
watering place. Thus for several years thereafter the 
popular route to the Springs was by way of old Saratoga. 
But we may not suppose that the General ever dreamed 
that the name of his ancestral estates, "Saratoga," the 
name vitally connected with historic events of such vast 
and far reaching importance, would be successfully 
filched, transported over that road of his own building, 
and affixed to a village yet to grow up around a bubbling 
spring in the dense woods. 

For the first season the General and his family camped 
near the spring in a tent, but the next year he built a cot- 
tage of two rooms with an ample fire-place in the middle, 
and thus he became the first of that long line of cottagers 
who have since spent their summers there. ^^^ 

Washington's Visit 

That same year, 1783, which saw the last of the long 
weary struggle for independence, was also the first in 
which the great leader of the people, George Washington, 
gave himself any respite from his weighty cares and 
responsibilities. The army had been camped for some 
time at Newburg, on the Hudson, idly waiting for King 
George to sign the treaty of peace. Both sides had long 
since ceased fighting, but still at that stage of the game 
it would have been most unwise to disband the army and 
go home. 

Irving in his "Life of Washington" not only describes 
the situation, but adds a brief account of a sight-seeing 

^^^ Sylvester's Hist, of Saratoga County, p. 149. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 293 

trip to the northward, undertaken by the General at this 
time, which included a visit to old Saratoga (Schuyler- 
ville), where he is said to have spent a night sheltered by 
the ever hospitable mansion of General Schuyler. 

Says Irving: "Washington now found his situation at 
headquarters irksome ; there was little to do, and he was 
liable to be incessantly teased with applications and de- 
mands which he had neither the means nor the power to 
satisfy. He resolved, therefore, to while away part of the 
time that must intervene before the arrival of the defini- 
tive treaty by making a tour to the northern and western 
part of the State, and visiting the place which had been 
the theatre of important military transactions. Governor 
Clinton [Alexander Hamilton, Colonels Humphreys and 
Fish] accompanied him on the expedition. They set out 
by water from Newburg, ascended the Hudson to Albany, 
visited Saratoga [battlefield] and the scene of Burgoyne's 
surrender [Schuylerville], embarked on Lake George, 
where light boats had been provided for them, traversed 
that beautiful lake, so full of historic interest ; proceeded 
to Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and after reconnoiter- 
ing those eventful posts, returned to Schenectady."^^^ 

From other sources we learn that on their return "they 
visited the High Rock Spring, to which their attention 
had been directed by General Schuyler while guests at his 
house at Schuylerville. Thence they left on horseback 
for Schenectady with the intention of visiting on their 
route the newly discovered spring at Ballston Spa — after- 
ward known as the Iron Railing Spring. On their route 
through the woods between the two springs they struck 
the path leading west by Factory Village to the Middle 
Line Road, but continuing too far the}^ lost their way. 

132 Ivving's Life of Washington. Vol. III., p. 206. 



2 94 ^'^^ STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Near Factory Village lived one Tom Connor, who was 
chopping wood at his cabin door. They inquired of him 
the way to the spring, and Tom cheerfully gave the 
requisite directions. The party then retraced their steps 
by the road they came, but again getting bewildered, rode 
back for more explicit directions. Tom now lost his 
temper, and petulantly cried out to the spokesman of the 
party — who happened to be Washington himself — T tell 
you, turn back and take the first right hand path into the 
woods, and then stick to if — any d — d fool would know 
the way.' Afterwards, when Tom learned that he had 
addressed the great Washington in this unceremonious 
and uncivil manner, he was extremely chagrined and 
mortified. His neighbors never afterward allowed poor 
Tom to forget about his reception of General Wash- 
ington. "^^^ 



CHAPTER VI 

Mansion No. 3 — Continued 

Its Later Occupants — John Bradstreet Schuyler 

On the arrival of John Bradstreet Schuyler of age — the 
General's oldest son — he decided to establish him in busi- 
ness by placing him in full charge of the Saratoga estate, 
assuring him that it should be his to hold and possess 
after the death of his father. We here insert the letter 
from the General to his son in which he anounces his pur- 
pose concerning the property. We do this not alone be- 
cause it contains matter of local interest, but mainly 
because its author, having achieved great success as a 



"' Stone's Reminiscences of Saratoga, p. 14. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 295 

business man and a public servant, having been univer- 
sally regarded as a model gentleman, most approachable 
and in-bane, and one possessed of a most noble character, 
we discover in this letter the secret of such success, the 
wherefore of his affable manners, and the basis of his 
exalted character. 

Observe that it is dated here at his best loved home. 

"Saratoga, December 3d, 1787. 
"My Dear Child: 

"I resign to your care, and to your sole emolument a 
place on which I have for a long series of years bestowed 
much care and attention, and I confess I should part 
from it with many a severe pang did I not resign it to my 
child. 

"I feel none now because of that paternal considera- 
tion. It is natural, however, for a parent to be solicitous 
for the weal of a child who is now to be guided by, and 
in a great measure to rely on, his own judgment and 
prudence. 

"Happiness ought to be the aim and end of the exer- 
tions of every rational creature, and spiritual happiness 
should take the lead, in fact temporal happiness without 
the former does not really exist except in name. The first 
can only be obtained by an improvement of those faculties 
of the mind which the beneficent Author of Creation has 
made all men susceptible of, by a conscious discharge of 
those sacred duties enjoined on us by God, or those whom 
he has authorized to promulgate His Holy Will. Let the 
rule of your conduct then be the precept contained in 
Holy Writ (to which I hope and entreat you will have 
frequent recourse) . If you do, virtue, honor, good faith, 



296 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

and a punctual discharge of the social duties will be the 
certain result, and an internal satisfaction that no tem- 
poral calamities can ever deprive 3^ou of. 

''Be indulgent, my child, to your inferiors, afifable and 
courteous to your equals, respectful, not cringing, to your 
superiors, whether they are so by superior mental abili- 
ties or those necessary distinctions which society has 
established. 

"With regard to 3'our temporal concerns it is indispen- 
sably necessary that you should afford them a close and 
continual attention. That you should not comrnit that 
to others which you can execute yourself. That you 
should not refer the necessary business of the hour or the 
day to the next. Delays are not only dangerous, they are 
fatal. Do not consider anything too insignificant to pre- 
serve ; if you do so the habit will steal on you and you 
will consider many things of little importance and the 
, account will close against you. Whereas a proper 
economy will not only make you easy, but enable you to 
bestow benefits on objects who may want your assistance 
— and of them you will find not a few. Example is infin- 
itely more lasting than precept, let therefore your servants 
never discover a disposition to negligence or waste ; if 
they do they will surely follow you in it, and your affairs 
will not slide but Gallop into Ruin. 

"In every community there are wretches who watch 
the dispositions of young men, especially when they come 
to the possession of property; some of these may hang 
about you; they will flatter, they will cringe, and they 
will cajole you until they have acquired your confidence, 
and then they will ruin you. Beware of these, they are 
the curse of society, and have brought many, alas ! too 
manv to destruction. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 297 

"Be specially careful that you do not put yourself under 
such obligations to any man as that he may deem himself 
entitled to request you to become his security for money. 
You are Good natured, and Generous, keep a Watch upon 
yourself, and do not ruin yourself and family for another. 

"Directly on my return to Albany I shall make you out 
a Deed of Gift for all the Blacks belonging- to the farm 
except Jacob, Peter, Cuff and Bett, and for the Stock 
and Cattle, Horses, &c., &c., with a very few exceptions. 
For all the farming utensils, household furniture, &c., &c. 

"The crops of the last year I must of necessity appro- 
priate to the discharge of Debts, and they must be 
brought down in Winter, except what may be necessary 
for the subsistence of your family and to satisfy those 
whom you may have occasion to employ. This I shall 
hereafter Detail. 

"The logs now in the Creek will be sawed at our joint 
expense and you shall have half the boards which I hope 
will net you something of Value. We will consult on the 
best and cheapest terms to have this done. 

"Althou' for reasons which prudence dictates, I shall 
now not give you a deed for any part of my estate, yet 
you ought to know what of this farm I intend for you, 
and which I shall immediately make you by Will ; it is all 
on the South Side of the Fishkill, and as far down as Col. 
Van Vechten's, and as far West as to Inclose Marshall's 
& Colvert's farms, Besides a just proportion of all my 
other Estates. But all the tenants now residing on the 
farm either on the South or A'orth side of the Creek are 
to pay their rents to me and Preserve the right of settling 
people on the west side of the road and to the north of 
the Little Creek, which runs by Kiliaen Winne's, the 
blacksmith. For altho' you will have the occupancy of all 



298 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

the rest of the farm on both sides of the Creek, yet that 
on the North side of the Creek I intend for one of your 
Brothers. 

"Should you die before me, which I most sincerely pray 
may not happen, your children, if God blesses you with 
any, will have this farm and such share of my other 
Estates as I intend for you ; and should you die before 
me, and without children, your wife, who is also my child, 
will be provided for by me. In short, it is my intention 
to leave you without any excuse if you fail in proper 
exertions to improve the property intrusted to you; and 
it is with that view that I so fully detail my intentions, 
and Give you this written testimony of them, and that no 
unworthy conduct may induce me to change my inten- 
tions is my hope and my anxious wish, and I have the 
pleasure to assure you that I believe when once the heat 
of youth is a little abated, I shall enjoy the satisfaction 
of seeing you what I most ardently wish you to be, a 
Good man and an honor to your family. 

"I must however not omit to inform you that the 
Income of all my estate except what you and your 
Brothers and Sisters may actually occupy at my decease 
will be enjoyed by your dear Mama; she merits this 
attention in a most eminent degree, and I shall even give 
her a power to change my Disposition of that part of my 
estate the income of which she will enjoy, should unhap- 
pily the conduct of my Children be such as to render it 
necessary; but I trust they are and will be so deeply 
impressed with a Sense of the infinite obligations they are 
under to her as not to give her a moment's uneasiness. 

"I must once more recommend to you as a matter of 
indispensable importance to Love, to honor, and faith- 
fully and without guile to serve the Eternal, incompre- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 299 

hensible, beneficent and Gracious Being by whose will 
you exist, and so insure happiness in this life and in that 
to come. And now my dear child, I commit you and my 
Daughter and all your concerns to his Gracious and Good 
Guidance ; and sincerely intreat Him to enable you to be 
a comfort to your parents and a protector to your 
Brothers and Sisters, an honor to your family, and a 
good citizen. Accept of my Blessing and be assured that 
I am your afl:ectionate father, 

"Ph. SCHUYLER. 
"To John B. Schuyler." 

The immediate occasion for making such a disposition 
of the Saratoga property at this time was the recent mar- 
riage of this son, John Bradstreet, which event took place 
in Albany, the i8th of September preceding. Parental 
interest evidently prompted him to thus start the young 
man in business that he might be the better able to sup- 
port the dignity of his new position as head of a family. 

John B. Schuyler takes Possession 

Accepting with alacrity his father's offer, he took 
immediate possession, with his young wife, only daughter 
of the Patroon Van Rensselaer — "a most lovable woman 
who united in herself the good qualities of two of the 
most substantial families of the early Republic — the Van 
Rensselaers and the Livingstons." No portrait of her is 
extant, but tradition pictures her as a brunette, with an 
oval face and dark hair and eyes. Her husband was a 
handsome young fellow, with blue eyes and flaxen curly 
hair.13* 



^2* MSS. in possession of Miss Fanny Schuyler, of Pelham-on-Sound. 



300 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Although brought up for the most part in the city of 
Albany, and accustomed to the usual life of a young man 
of leisure, John Bradstreet Schuyler entered on the life 
of a country gentleman with much enthusiasm. We may 
suppose that he came to Saratoga with the more readiness 
because youthful associations combined with the romance 
of the wars had greatly endeared the old place to him as it 
also had to the rest of the family. After his coming we 
are told that "the intercourse with Albany was kept up 
regularly through the faithful family slaves" who passed 
back and forth like shuttles between the Saratoga and 
Albany homes. For example "Yim" goes down from 
Saratoga with an order "for a fashionable beaver hat for 
Betsy," as Mrs. J. B. Schuyler was called by her family ; 
also twelve pairs of shoes, intended no doubt for the 
household slaves ; for every person of substance in those 
days owned slaves. 

Two sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Bradstreet 
Schuyler at Saratoga. The eldest, Philip, was named for 
his grandfather, the General ; the second for his maternal 
grandfather, Stephen Van Rensselaer. Stephen died in 
infancy. Philip was a strong and vigorous child. 

The young proprietor evidently prosecuted the busi- 
ness, established by his father, with energy and success ; 
for we find that he received large orders for the products 
of the Saratoga mills and farms, which were transported 
to market mainly in the old way, on rafts and flatboats. 

Death of John B. Schuyler 
The career of this promising young man came to a sud- 
den close in 1795, at the age of thirty-two. He had been 
spending some time up the Mohawk valley with his 
father, apparently assisting in the construction of a water- 
way from Schenectady to Lake Ontario. His father, the 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 301 

General, was president of the Inland Lock Navigation 
Company, which had in charge the execution of this 
important work. The General had from the start been a 
most zealous promoter of the enterprise. Locks had just 
been completed at Little Falls and Fort Herkimer to help 
the boats around the rapids in the Mohawk at those 
points, and on the loth of August he was to meet the 
Indians in council at Oneida to secure the right of way 
for a canal between the Mohawk and Wood Creek, which 
empties into Oneida Lake. 

His son, John Bradstreet, evidently feeling unwell, 
started for his home at Saratoga, where he arrived on the 
7th of August. His wife, with her little son, was 
away at the time ; family tradition says in New 
York. The fever which had been developing was 
thought to have been aggravated by showing a gentle- 
man over the battle field under a broiling sun. This was 
in all probability the Due de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt. 
(See Stone's Burgoyne's Campaign p. 381.) The record 
of this sad event, found in the Schuyler family Bible, 
reads as follows : 

"August 7, 1795, John B. Schuyler arrived at his house 
in Saratoga from the westward. Taken sick on Wednes- 
day, the 1 2th, of a Bilious Fever. Died the 19th August, 
1795. Buried in the vault of Stephen Van Rensselaer, 
Esq., at Watervliet, 20th August, 1795." 

Local tradition has it that his body was taken down 
the river in a canoe, which is quite probable. The absence 
of Mrs. Schuyler, together with the extreme heat, no 
doubt accounts for the speedy removal of the remains to 
the family vault. 

That was a sad home-coming to both the young wife 
and the father ; for when they bade him good-by, neither 



302 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

had dreamed that it was for aye. .His sudden death 
proved to be especially distressing to his father, who had 
built on him many high hopes. That he was a young man 
of unusual intelligence, stability of character and influ- 
ence, is proven by the fact that he had already been 
elected as one of the trustees of Williams College, Massa- 
chusetts ; that he had been chosen the first Supervisor of 
his town after the new County of Saratoga had been 
erected ; and by the fact that he was sent to the New 
York Assembly in 1795. 

Philip Schuyler, 2d. 

Philip Schuyler, 2d, was seven years of age when his 
father, John Bradstreet, died. His grandfather, the 
General, was appointed his guardian, who first placed 
him in a school on Sta,ten Island, under the charge of Dr. 
Moore, afterwards Bishop of Virginia, and later he was 
sent to Columbia College. During his collegiate course 
he lived in New York, and for part of the time in the 
family of his talented uncle, Alexander Hamilton ; a rare 
privilege, that, for a young man in the formative period 
of his life. 

Philip Schuyler, 2d, selected for his wife Miss Grace 
Hunter, sister of Hon. John Hunter, of Hunter's Island, 
N. Y. They were married in New York, September 12th, 
181 1. She Avas a beautiful and lovable woman, and she 
willingly left the charms of city life for the quiet scenes 
and more romantic life in the old historic home at 
Saratoga.'^'^^ 

Being an only child, Philip inherited so much of the 
Saratoga estate as fell to his father, which ran for three 



"s Most of the above facts relating to J. Bradstreet, and Philip Schuyler, 
2nd, were taken from the Schuyler MSS., in possession of Miss Fanny 
Schuyler, of Pelham-on-Sound. 




MRS. PHILIP SCHUYLER, 2D 



304 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

miles along the Hudson River. He also inherited from 
his father and grandfather a large measure of their public 
spirit, which manifested itself through an active interest 
in anything that tended to promote the public welfare, 
multiply common luxuries for the people, or increase the 
comforts of living. He was an enthusiastic promoter of 
inland navigation, or the canal projects, which so stirred 
the public mind of this State from 1807 ^o 1825, at which 
latter date both the Champlain and Erie canals had been 
completed. 

It was through his influence that the great canal basin 
was built at Schuylerville and also the slip or back-set 
from the basin to the rear of the mills; and to guard 
against the evils of stagnant water he obtained a per- 
petual grant to tap the end of the slip and use the water 
for running a mill ; the sawmill now operated by Mr. G. 
Edward Laing gets its power from this source. This is 
the only place where the State allows water to be drawn 
from the canals to furnish power for a private enterprise. 
This franchise was secured not only for sanitary reasons, 
but as part pay for the right to pass through Mr. Schuy- 
ler's estate. 

He early became mterested in cotton manufacture, and 
erected here at Schuylerville the second cotton mill in 
the State of New York — the old Horicon, which still 
stands, though somewhat enlarged, as a moimment to his 
enterprise. 

In 1822 his fellow citizens sent him to represent them 
as Assemblyman in the New York Legislature. 

Philip Schuyler, 2d, and his charming wife maintained 
the ancient family reputation for hospitality. So long as 
a Schuyler lived here open house was kept for every one 
who could formulate a decent excuse for crossina: their 




PHILIP SCHUYLER, 2D 



■20 



3o6 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

threshold. During the summer season the old house was 
usually thronged with guests from everywhere, among 
which were sure to be a goodly sprinkling of notables 
of every type. 

Visit of Lafayette 

Perhaps during the whole stretch of the nineteenth 
century the Schuyler mansion was never more highly 
honored than by the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette, the 
friend of Washington, the one Frenchman who made the 
greatest sacrifices for American liberty. On his last visit 
here, in 1824, he was voted the nation's guest, and Vv^as 
everywhere lionized and feted as no foreigner since has 
been. Though it was quite out of his way, he could not 
resist turning aside to visit the old Saratoga home of 
General Schuyler, whom he had greatly loved, and the 
scene of the humiliation of one proud army of France's 
ancient foe. 

Such details of this interesting visit as have been pre- 
served we here give verbatim from a manuscript in 
possession of Miss Fanny Schuyler of Pelham-on- 
Sound, N. Y., a daughter of Philip Schuyler, 2d.^^° 

"The general came in the coach-and-four which my 
father had sent to convey him from the town beyond. His 
son, who was with him, had a round face and wore gold 
spectacles. His secretary and another gentleman filled 
a second carriage. Lafayette received the villagers, who 
had assembled on the lawn in front of the house, with 
very courteous bows, and spoke some appreciative words. 

"Being greatly fatigued from his journey, Lafayette 
was shown into the guest chamber (on the southeast cor- 



^38 The facts which the MSS, preserve were given to her by her eldest 
sister, Ruth, nov/, 1900, S8 years of age. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 307 

ner, first floor) where, having stretched himself on the 
bed, he slept for several hours. After a collation was 
served, and before his departure, he stepped to the side- 
board, and while resting one arm on its polished surface, 
with the other poured a glass of Madeira, which he drank 
to the health of 'the four generations of Schuylers he had 
known' — the fourth generation was represented by his 
host's three little daughters (Ruth, Elizabeth and Grace). 
Just as he was about to depart, Lafayette lifted little 
Grace Schuyler up in his arms and kissed her. After- 
wards, being asked how she liked General Lafayette, she 
said: "I don't like that man, 'his face pricked me.'"^^^ 

Hospitality of the Schuylers 

Quite early in the century Saratoga Springs became 
the most popular, indeed the one fashionable watering 
place in America. Thither the blooded aristocracy, the 
merchant princes, the leaders in fashion and politics, 
flocked from all parts of the States. One of the most 
popular drives in those days for those who had the entree 
of the mansion was from the Springs to Old Saratoga 
(Schuylerville). 
Dinner parties were frequently given here by the 



^" The above-mentioned mahogany brass-mounted sideboard, together 
with the high-post French bedstead on which Lafayette slept, are now 
in possession of the family, at Pelham-on-Sound, in the house occupied by 
Miss Fanny Schuyler there, as are also many other interesting pieces of 
furniture once used by Gen. Philip Schuyler, including a mirror, which is 
known to have reflected the faces of most of the Revolutionary notables, 
among which may be mentioned General Burgoyne and his suite; also 
General Schuyler's silver spurs, pocket sun-dial, gold pen and pencil 
case, double-cased gold-embossed watch, silver-mounted pistol — all used 
in his military campaigns. A high, mahogany hall clock, French white 
marble and gilt parlor clock, white silk vest, embroidered in %\\t thread, 
etc., are also in possession of the family there. 



3o8 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Schuylers at the then fashionable hour of three or four 
o'clock; the guests returning to the Springs in the early 
evening. Among such, one might mention Martin Van 
Buren, President of the United States, who had become 
a warm personal friend of Philip Schuyler, 2d, accom- 
panied by his popular son, "Prince John," as he was then 
called. 

Departure of the Schuylers 

But changes came to the old homestead at last. Per- 
haps the worst financial panic in our nation's history was 
that of 1837. Commerce and manufactures were pros- 
trate; hundreds of wealthy mercantile houses in every 
quarter of the country suddenly found themselves bank- 
rupt, and the crash was consummated when the banks 
universally suspended specie payments. I'hilip Schuyler, 
like thousands of others, was caught in this financial 
whirlwind and swamped. To meet his obligations, the 
ancestral estate was sold. 

President Van Buren ere long, having need of a man of 
Schuyler's calibre in an important position, unsolicited, 
sent him as consul to the port of Liverpool, England. No 
better selection could have been made, if we can accept 
the judgment of the English press. For example, the 
Liverpool Courier of June 1, 1842, has this to say, when it 
became known that Mr. Schuyler had been recalled : 

"Among other removals we regret to announce that of . 
Philip Schuyler, Esc|., the late consul of this port. The 
United States never had, nor never can have, a more 
efficient officer than that gentleman to represent their 
great nation ; for besides the official capacities which are 
indispensable to the fulfillment of the multifarious duties 
of a consulate, he possessed in an eminent degree the no 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 309 

less necessary and agreeable faculty of ingratiating him- 
self into the respect and esteem of our people. Circum- 
stances led us on several occasions to know these facts, 
and we feel it our duty, as it is our pleasure, to record 
them." 

He was recalled by President Tyler for purely party 
reasons, and that after he had been orally assured by him 
that he would be retained at the post. 

After his return from England, Mr. Schuyler was at 
one time on the point of repurchasing his old home and 
returning to Schuylerville ; but as their son John was in 
New York preparing for college, Mrs. Schuyler preferred 
to remain near him and so the project was abandoned. 
They finally built a new house on a fine site, including 
seventy acres of land, at Pelham-on-Sound, a favorite 
residence of New Yorkers, and within easy distance of 
the city. 

As an indication that he retained an undying affection 
for the home of his fathers and the scenes of his boyhood, 
and that he was held in highest esteem by his neighbors, 
we here insert a paragraph from a letter of one of his 
daughters to the writer : 

"One of my childish remembrances is a visit with my 
father to Schuylerville, on his return from England, when 
an ovation was tendered him in the evening, a serenade 
given and speeches made by the leading men of the place. 
And there, surrounded by his early friends, and many of 
his former stalwart workmen, as he stood among them 
once more the tears coursed down his face, as well as 
down many other faces about him. On another occasion, 
when present there, as one of the committee, with the 
Hon. Hamilton Fish, to select the position for the Sara- 
toga monument, his son-in-law, Charles de Luze, Esq., 



310 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



of New York, who was also present, again saw him 
brushing" away tears as he gazed over the old familiar 
scenes of his childhood." 

The departure of the Schuylers was an irreparable loss 
to the commercial, social and religious interests of Schuy- 
lerville. In short, we have ever since had "Hamlet" with 
Hamlet left out.^^^ 

The Strgvers 

When the place was thrown upon the market by the 
assignee of Mr. Schuyler, it was purchased by Col. 
George Strover. Thus for 135 years this property had 
been in the hands of the Schuylers. 

Col. George Strover was born near Bryant's bridge, in 
the town of Saratoga, in 1791. His grandfather had been 
a soldier in the French and Indian war. His father, John 
Strover, became a noted scout in the Revolution ; hence, 
with such antecedents, it was altogether natural that 
George Strover should be eager to serve his country in a 
similar way should the opportunity offer. The war of 
1812 was his chance and he was among the first to enlist. 
It was in that war that he gained the title of Colonel 
through promotion. 

After peace was declared he married and settled on a 
farm below Coveville. There in various ways he dis- 
played so much energy and business sagacity that he 
attracted the attention of Mr. Philip Schuyler, 2d, who 
ultimately made him his general agent and business 
manager. In addition to his employment with Mr. 
Schuyler, he became extensivel}' engaged as a contractor 
on his own account. 



138 Grace Hunter, wife of Philip Schuyler, 2nd, died at Pelhim-on-Sound, 
December 24, 1855. Philip Schuyler died at the same place, Februaiy 12, 
1865. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 311 

Soon after the departure of Mr. Schuyler from Schuy- 
lerville, he, with several other gentlemen, took the con- 
tract for constructing- a large section of the Croton 
Aqueduct. He soon thereafter sold out to his partners, 
and accepted a position as manager of the vast estates of 
Stephen Van Rensselaer, the last of the Patroons. While 
in Van Rensselaer's service, he superintended the con- 
struction of those extensive docks in Albany's great lum- 
ber district. He enjoyed the utmost confidence of both 
Messrs. Schuyler and Van Rensselaer, and treasured to 
the last many valuable tokens of their regard. 

He became one of the leading and most public spirited 
of Schuylerville's citizens, and enjoyed the highest esteem 
of his fellow townsmen, because of his kindly spirit and 
integrity of character. He was largely instrumental in 
founding the old Academy, and in the erection of the 
Episcopal church. And it was at his house, the old 
Schuyler mansion, that the first meeting of patriotic gen- 
tlemen was called to consider what steps should be taken 
toward the erection of a suitable monument to commemo- 
rate the glorious events of the decisive campaign of the 
war for Independence. 

That Colonel Strover was possessed of highest respect 
and reverence for the historic past is proved, not only by 
his strenuous efforts in behalf of a monument, but in the 
way in which he cared for the old mansion, preserving it 
intact within and without, so far as necessary repairs 
would permit. It is now owned by two of his daughters, 
Mrs. E. M. McCoy of Waterford, N. Y., and Mrs. John 
Lowber, who with her family, has occupied it since her 
father's death, and who in her care of this historic home 
has shown herself to be a worthy daughter of a worthy 
father. 



312 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

When next this place changes hands it should go into 
the possession of the State, and be placed in the custody 
of a local historical society, which, by the way, ought to 
have been in existence long ere this, but which, in fact, 
is not yet born. In this building should be collected the 
many relics of colonial and Revolutionary times which 
are scattered about, here and there, in this vicinity, but 
which are being rapidly collected and carried away by 
the ever increasing horde of relic hunters. 

The Marshall house too, like the Schuyler mansion, 
should ultimately belong to the public. Houses like these, 
so closely connected with great historic events, are very 
rare in our country, and hence what we have left should 
be guarded and preserved with the most jealous care. 



CHAPTER Vn 

Post Revolutionary Settlement 

When, in 1783, England and the United States con- 
cluded to cease fighting, the people had an opportunity to 
turn their attention once again to the more congenial arts 
of peace. The militiamen from the sterile hills of New 
England, and from down the Hudson valley having 
caught a glimpse of this beautiful country during the 
campaigns of the Revolution, thought it a veritable land 
of promise, and many of them marched away with a 
secret resolve to see more of it when once the desperate 
scrimmage with old England was well over. No sooner 
was peace declared than some of them put their resolves 
into execution. The tide of immigration set in this 
direction so strongly and steadily that, at the end of the 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 313 

century, most of the available land in this township was 
taken up, though by no means cleared. The farms were 
sometimes purchased outright, but generally they were 
taken on long leases from the Patentees, such as Gen. 
Philip Schuyler. For example, the lease of Thomas Jor- 
dan was to run through the life of himself, wife and one 
John Ballard, who lived with him. It was, however, pur- 
chased before the expiration of the lease. 

The story of the way in which three settlers in this 
town obtained their farms is worthy of perpetuation here. 
V/e have elsewhere spoken of the raids of the Indians and 
Tories from the north, and their persistent efforts at kid- 
napping prominent citizens and carrying them to Canada. 

On the 7th of August, 1781, seven men, sent from 
Canada, came to Albany and in the evening of that day 
made an attack upon the town-house of General Schuyler, 
who chanced to be there at the time with his family, 
instead of Saratoga (Schuylerville), as was his custom 
in the summer time. Their object was to kill or capture 
the General. There were in the house with the General 
at the time John Ward and John Cokely, two of his life 
guards, and also John Tubbs, an army courier, in his 
service. These three men made a gallant fight with the 
seven assassins, who had effected an entrance into the 
hall. John Tubbs, as his grandchildren now relate it, 
had a personal struggle with one, who, having pressed 
him down behind an old oaken chest, with his hands on 
his throat, tried to draw a knife to finish him, but the 
knife was gone, and so Tubbs was obliged to let him up. 
Meanwhile General Schuyler had, from the windows 
above, aroused the town, and the seven men left suddenly, 
carrying off Tubbs and Cokely with them as prisoners, 
together with a goodly amount of the General's silver 



314 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

plate as proof that they had actually penetrated into 
Schuyler's house and made an attempt to execute their 
appointed task. The prisoners were kept nineteen months 
on an island in the St. Lawrence. Returning home about 
the time peace was declared, General Schuyler presented 
the three men with a deed of two hundred and seventy-five 
acres of land. The deed is still in possession of the 
descendants of John Tubbs, and recites that "In con- 
sideration of five shillings, and that John Cokely, John 
Ward and John Tubbs did gallantly defend the said 
Philip Schuyler when attacked in his own house near the 
city of Albany, on the 7th day of August, 178 1, by a party 
of the enemy in the late war, sent expressly to kill or 
make prisoner of the said Philip Schuyler," the party 
of the first part hath granted and sold to the said Ward, 
Cokely and Tubbs all that tract and parcel of land "in 
the Saratoga patent, known and distinguished as the 
westernmost farm of the south half of lot No. 20, in the 
grand division of the Saratoga patent made by John B. 
Bleecker, surveyor, in 1750, containing about two hun- 
dred and seventy acres of land." 

The land was first divided into three parts, and the men 
drew for their respective portions. John Cokely's share 
ultimately came into possession of John Tubbs' descend- 
ants, who held the property until 1894, when it was pur- 
chased by Eugene Rogers. 

A compilation of the hundreds of names of those who 
settled in this vicinity after the Revolution is apart from 
the scope and purpose of this book, such being of little 
interest to the general reader. We would therefore refer 
those interested in that subject to Sylvester's History of 
Saratoga County, also to the town and church records. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 315 

Early Roads 

After the settler has once established himself in his 
new home, about the first thing he must turn his attention 
to is the means of communication between himself and 
his neighbors and the markets beyond ; he must address 
himself to the interminable task of road building. 

The first roads in a new country are necessarily very 
crude and rough affairs. The bicycle and automobile 
could not have flourished here in thosa pioneer days. For 
many years after the settlement of the country the only 
vehicles that could stand the strain were the wood-sled 
and lumber wagon. 

Naturally the first highway built in this section was 
the river road. But this, unlike any of its successors, was 
at the outset mainly built at government expense for the 
transportation of armies and munitions of war. It was 
generally supposed that the present road coincides nearly 
with the original one, and that followed mainly the old 
Indian trail. The canal, however, has in many places 
supplanted the old road. Some old maps and other docu- 
ments prove pretty conclusively that much of the way, 
at least between Schuylerville and Stillwater, there were 
two roads, one near the river bank and the other along 
the foot of the bluffs ; the latter was used in time of high 
water. Such was the case between Wilbur's Basin and 
Bemis Heights at the time of the Revolution,^^'* and also 
just below Schuylerville.^*" Tradition says this river 
road forded the Fish creek a few rods above the canal 
aqueduct, ascended its south bank back of Mr. Lowber's 



w» See Burgoyne's map, in Public Papers of George Clinton. Vol. II., 
p. 430. Also the Sexagenary, pp. 70, 72. 

^^o Journal of La Corne St. Luc's Expedition against Fort Clinton, p. 
, ante, and tlie Sexagenary, p. 140. 



3 [6 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

barn (some say where the canal bridge is) and then 
passed east of the original Schuyler mansion about where 
the canal is now. This is altogether probable. The 
writer has found a tradition which says that north of the 
creek the road struck through where the canal basin is 
and ran along the low terrace seen in the meadow north 
of the Ferry street road, and just east of the canal, thence 
north through Seeleyville, following the present line of 
North Broadway. It is not probable that there was a 
bridge across Fish creek till about 1770. As there was 
a military road cut on the east side in 1709 from the Bat- 
tenkill to Fort Edward, the old ford across the river just 
north of the island, over which the road to Greenwich 
now passes, must have figured as part of that route. 
Very likely the fort built by Peter Schuyler in 1709 was 
for the purpose of guarding that ford, and stood on the 
flats instead of the hill, as has been by some supposed. 

Lateral Roads 

At the time of the Revolution there was a road running 
west from Bemis Heights ; one west from Sword's house 
which General Fraser used in his flank movement on the 
morning of the 19th of September, 1777, the same which 
now runs west from Searle's ferry. Another road ran 
west from Coveville, starting just south of Van Veghten's 
mill. The earliest road to the westward from Old Sara- 
toga (Schuylerville) started at the Horicon mill, ran up 
the south bank of the creek and followed the line of the 
present footpath to Smithville."^ From that point there 
has been no change in the old line. Then, as now, it 
crossed the creek just west of Mr. Frank Marshall's, 



1" See old document copied in Sylvester's Hist, of Saratoga County, p. 268. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 317 

thence southwest past Mr. Hiram Cramer's. The present 
road from Smithville to the river road is very old and 
antedates the Revolution. We have elsewhere spoken of 
the road to Saratoga Springs, through Grangerville, built 
by General Schuyler in 1783. This road originally passed 
to the north of the creek at Grangerville and so avoided 
bridge building. The ford across the river at Schuyler- 
ville being available only at low water, a ferry was started 
very early by the De Ridders. This crossed below the 
island; its western landing place was on the angle just 
north of the mouth of Fish creek, its eastern landing was 
fifteen or twenty rods below the bridge. Many old resi- 
dents of Schuylerville can still remember De Ridder's 
ferry, it was propelled by horse power, and hence was 
known as a horse boat. The great increase in travel and 
traffic which followed on the opening of the canal, made 
possible the bridging of the Hudson at this point to 
acconmiodate the country to the east of the river. This 
was done by a private company in 1836, and it has ever 
since remained a toll bridge. 

Partition of Saratoga 

As we have stated in an earlier part of this work, Sara- 
toga was a name originally given by the Indians to a dis- 
trict of country with indefinite boundaries stretching 
from perhaps Waterford to the State dam at North- 
umberland and including both sides of the river. Then 
came the Saratoga Patent of 1684. which took in six 
miles on each side of the river, from Mechanicville north 
to the mouth of the Battenkill. 

March 24, 1772, the New York Colonial Legislature 
passed the first act which organized this territory into a 
legal entity. What has since become Saratoga County 



3i8 THE SrORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

was then divided into two districts — Half Moon and 
Saraghtoga. As there were no towns organized here at 
that time, the district of Saraghtoga included Easton, now 
in the County of Washington, and nearly all the present 
County of Saratoga north of Anthony's-kill, which enters 
the Hudson at Mechanicville, and it so continued until 
April I, 1775, when the west part of the county was 
organized into a separate district called Ballstown. Gen. 
E. F. Bullard, in his historical address, says very happily : 
"As Virginia was called the mother of States, so Old 
Saratoga may be called the mother of towns." First 
Ballston, as we have just seen, was taken from it. Then, 
after New York burst the Provincial bud and blossomed 
into a State, and the machinery of a .State government 
was set running, on the 7th of March, 1788, an act was 
passed organizing towns in the place of districts. By that 
act Stillwater, including Malta, was taken off from the 
Saratoga district, thus making what afterward became 
Saratoga County into four towns, viz : Halfmoon, Sara- 
toga, Ballston and Stillwater, all of wdiich were yet a 
part of Albany County. On the 3d of March, 1789, that 
part of Saratoga township lying on the east of the Hud- 
son was erected into a township and called East Town. 
In 1 79 1, this was set off to form part of Washington 
County. On the 7th of February, 1791, these four towns 
were separated from Albany County and erected into an 
independent county, and appropriately named Saratoga. 

How Saratoga Springs got its Name 

In 1798 this old township was shorn of more of her ter- 
ritory by the organization of Northumberland, which 
took off all now included in Moreau and Wilton, and the 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 319 

east part of Corinth and Greenfield. The fame of the 
Springs having drawn to that part of the township many 
settlers, a petition was granted them in 18 19 which 
resulted in another division of Old Saratoga and the 
erection of the town of Saratoga Springs. This left to 
the town its present area of about seven miles square. 
After this division Saratoga numbered 2,233 inhabitants, 
and Saratoga Springs 1,909. Here we discover why the 
Springs came to be called Saratoga Springs. For the 
first thirty years of their history they were located within 
the limits of the town of Saratoga, and when the new 
town was set oft" its inhabitants insisted on the retention 
of the name under which their district had become 
famous. ^^^ 



CHAPTER VHI 

VirXAGES 

Aftkr the destruction of Old Saratoga, in 1745, eighty 
years elapsed before another village of equal size grew 
up within the bounds of this township. Of course it pos- 
sessed more inhabitants at the end of the eighteenth cen- 
tury than at that epoch, but no villages. These, 
however, were sure to appear in time. 

The first store in town of which we have been able to 
find any record was opened by Herman Van Veghten 
some time before 1800.^*^ It is. however, probable that 
supplies had been kept at Schuyler's mills before this. 

^*2 Most of the above facts concerning the divisions of the district, and 
later the town, of Saratoga were taken from Gen. E. F. Bullard's Cen- 
tennial 4th of July address. 

".3 Old Records of the Reformed Church of Schuylerville, p. 88. 



320 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

A store was also kept by one John Douglas on the place 
now owned by Hiram Cramer at an early day, just when 
we have not discovered. The Hill at Cramer's was cer- 
tainly once quite a business place before the opening of 
the canal and the subsequent growth of Schuylerville. 
Besides the store, there was an ashery for the manufac- 
ture of potash, the old Baptist church, a school house and 
one or two mechanic shops. But Schuylerville's "boom" 
put an end to the aspirations of Dunham's Hill, as it was 
then called. 

Dean's Corners, in the western part of the town, was 
named from Dr. Dean, who lived at that point and prac- 
ticed medicine for many years, though he was not the 
first settler. It contains a store, post office and school 
house, and numbers about fifty inhabitants. 

Quaker Springs derived its name from the conjunction 
of two important facts. First, because the Society of 
Friends, or Quakers, were the most numerous among the 
first settlers, and built a meeting house in that locality, 
where they have worshiped for a hundred years or more ; 
and second, because two very fine mineral springs exist 
there. The village numbers about 150 inhabitants; it 
contains a large store of general merchandise, a post- 
office, a school house, a saw mill, and a Methodist Epis- 
copal church. 

The water of the springs is charged with natural gas, 
and is of very fine quality. One reminds the visitor of 
the more renowned ones at Saratoga Springs, and the 
other bubbling up within twenty-five feet of it, is strongly 
impregnated with sulphur. Both of them are equal in 
medicinal properties to those at the great Spa. Were 
these springs situated anywhere within 200 miles of their 
{iresent location they would be immensely valuable. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 321 

Grangerville 

Grangerville is a hamlet of fifteen or twenty houses, 
about two miles west of Schuylerville. The occasion for 
a village there is a mill privilege on Fish creek. The first 
mill here was a grist mill, erected by Jesse Toll, before 
1800; but the name of one Harvey Granger, who owned 
and run the mills for many years, became attached to the 
hamlet that grew up around him. Besides the grist mill, 
there is a saw mill on the opposite side of the creek. 
There, too, are the inevitable village store, blacksmith 
shop and school house, which also serves the purpose of 
a church. Here a harvest that is unusual and unique is 
gathered yearly by the enterprising miller, Mr. Elmer 
E. Baker. In the month of September great quantities of 
eels run down the creek into the river. A weir has been 
so constructed at the dam as to catch the larger eels, and 
as high as thirty-three barrels, or three tons, of this 
wriggling, and yet toothsome, product have been shipped 
to market in a season. 

COVEVILLE 

Situated three miles south of Schuylerville, on the river 
road, is another hamlet known as Coveville. This name 
has supplanted that of Dovegat, which was originally 
given to the locality. Here General Burgoyne and his 
army camped for several days on his way down and up 
from the scene of his defeat. Here Cornelius Van Vegh- 
ten had a mill as early as 1784. The remains of the dam 
are still to be seen on the west side of the highway as you 
cross the creek. Here Herman Van Veghten opened 
what was, perhaps, the first store in the town. There was 
a tavern here for many years, but now long since discon- 
21 



32 2 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

tinued. Here is a store and a school house. The canal 
at this point affords shipping facilities for potatoes for 
quite a district to the west. 

Victory 

This village is mainly the creation of the Victory 
Manufacturing Company. Before its advent an unbroken 
woods stretched from above the mills to Schuylerville. 
It derived its name entirely from the fancy of some 
patriotic member of the company, who suggested it as 
the title for their organization in allusion to the victory 
of the Americans over the British won in the immediate 
vicinity. It is very pleasantly situated on the north, or 
left, bank of Fish creek, one and one-half miles above its 
confluence with the river. The one great industry here 
is the manufacture of cotton goods ; but of this great 
mill we will take occasion to speak more in detail in 
another connection. 

The village has an unusually spruce and well-kept 
appearance. Besides the pretty cottages of the operatives, 
many citizens have built for themselves substantial and 
beautiful homes along the well shaded streets. In addi- 
tion to the attractions about the homes the company, with 
a true pviblic and altruistic spirit, maintain a small park 
adjoining the mills with a beautiful lawn and a profusion 
of magnificent flowering plants, which afford a pleasant 
outlook from the mill windows for their employees. This 
company donated the ground and contributed largely for 
the erection of a neat church edifice for the use of the 
villagers. This the company generously keeps in repair. 

Victory Mills was incorporated "in 1849. The first 
board of trustees were : William E. Miner, Patrick 
Cooney, George McCreedy, Russell Carr and Benjamin 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 323 

Kelsey. William E. Miner was first president, and 
James Cavanagh, clerk. The officers for 1900 are: 
Matthew E. Kelly, Robert Barrett and William J. Ken- 
nedy. Mr. M. E. Kelly is president, and Archie J. Ken- 
nedy, clerk. The village has an ample supply of hotels, 
several stores of general merchandise, a post-office, mar- 
kets, etc., and supports an excellent graded school. 

Smithville 

On the right bank of the Fish creek, and opposite 
Victory Mills, is the village of Smithville. Smithville 
originated in this way : Thomas Smith, grandson of the 
early settler Thomas, purchased a farm on the south side 
of the creek from the assignee of the Schuyler estate 
about 1840. Sometime thereafter he. conceived the notion 
of starting a town ; so he laid out a large share of his 
property in building lots, advertised it pretty extensively, 
and succeeded in selling many of them. The village is 
very pleasantly and healthfully located, but it has from the 
beginning been merely a place of residence. 

SCHUYLERVILLE 

At the opening of the 19th century there was no such 
place as Schuylerville in existence. Broadway was then 
an open country road. South of the creek then stood the 
old Dutch Reformed church, of historic memory, with 
the sexton's house, the Schuyler mansion and several 
mills, with perhaps a tenement house or two. On the 
north side of the creek there was a distillery, a fulling 
mill, a grist mill, and a blacksmith shop which stood then, 
and for a number of years, where the alley, opposite 
Bullard's paper mill, enters Broadway; just north of the 
shop was a house. -The next building to the north was 



324 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

an old government storehouse or barrack, where the 
house of James E. McEckron now stands, 191 Broadway; 
above this there was a log house standing on the north- 
west corner of Broadway and Spring street, with some 
old Revolutionary barracks standing a few rods to the 
northwest. The next house to the north was the parson- 
age of the Dutch Reformed church, still standing, 265 
Broadway, and north of this was the historic Bushee 
house (since called the Marshall house). 

From the recollections of old inhabitants, preserved in 
Sylvester's "History of Saratoga County" and Gen. E. F. 
Bullard's historical address, we learn that in 1812 a Mr. 
Daggett ran the aforementioned blacksmith shop, that a 
Widow Taylor was running a tavern where the house No. 
187 Broadway stands, now owned by Napoleon Gravelle. 
Just to the north of this, in the old government store- 
house, Alpheus Bullard opened a store that same year; 
Stephen Welsh was then living in the log house on the 
corner of Broadway and Spring street. North of him a 
Mr. Peacock lived, and between him and the old Dutch 
parsonage lived a Mr. Van Tassel. Soon afterwards 
Alpheus Bullard gave up store-keeping and built the 
Mansion House on the southwest corner of Broadway 
and Spring street, no doubt to accommodate the travel to 
and from Saratoga Springs, most of which had to go this 
way at that time. A stage route from Boston to the 
Springs ran this way until after 1830. This tavern was 
afterward turned into a dwelling house and is now occu- 
pied by Mrs. R. D. Lewis. About the same time (1813 
or 1814), Daniel Patterson built a tavern, which still 
stands, and bears the name of the Schuylerville House. 
Soon after the war of 18 12 Abraham Van Deusen opened 
a store on the site of the present Bullard block ; his house 
stood where the bank now is, 98 Broadway. The long 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 325 

wooden building, 78 to 82 Broadway, has stood for eighty 
years or more. 

At this time the ancient woods still covered most of the 
hillside to the west of Broadway, and mdeed they were 
not fully cleared till after 1840; and the earthworks 
thrown up by Burgoyne thirty-five years before still 
remained untouched, except by the elements. Wild game 
of every kind yet roamed the forests all about, tempting 
the hunter forth to try his skill. 

The Effect of the Canal on Schuylerville's 
Growth 

The growth of Schuylerville was very slow till after 
the opening of the Champlain canal in 1822. Through 
the influence of Philip Schuyler, 2d, with the State 
authorities, and as part payment for the right of way 
through his extensive estates, a commodious basin, with 
ample dockage, was built at this point. Now a basin in 
a canal is equivalent to a bay along the sea-coast, a boat 
can turn around, as well as load and unload at its docks. 
Possessed of this boon, Schuylerville was at once raised 
from the obscurity of a wayside hamlet to the dignity of 
an open port and an important shipping point. 

Before the opening of the canal the farmers, as far 
north as Lakes George and Champlain, had to draw their 
produce in wagons or sleighs down to Waterford. Judge 
then what a boom the opening of this waterway gave to 
the farming interests everywhere within reach of it. 
Whitehall, Fort Edward, Schuylerville and Stillwater at 
once became shipping points and depots for supplies. 
Schuylerville rapidly sprang into importance and became 
the most important place between Whitehall and Water- 
ford, and the outlet for a large district of country both to 
the east and west of the Pludson. Large warehouses 



326 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

were built for the storage of grain and mercantile goods, 
many of which are yet standing as reminders of the epoch 
when the packet boat was queen. 

Besides the vast quantity of grain shipped from here 
in those early days, when later Washington and Saratoga 
counties became great potato producing sections, as many 
as sixty and seventy canal boat loads of this product have 
left these docks for market in the fall of the year. This 
means a great deal when one considers that each boat load 
was equal to a train load of freight cars of the size in 
vogue at that time. Of course all this business centering 
here made an opening for merchants and mechanics and 
innkeepers and laborers, Avhich they were not slow in 
entering. Stores and shops, hotels and residences rapidly 
multiplied, until not many years had elapsed before the 
citizens began to talk of incorporating their thriving 
village. This was done by special act of Legislature in 
1831. The first election of ofiicers June 7, 1831, resulted 
as follows : Trustees, Gilbert Purdy, Richard W. Living- 
ston, James Strang, Cornelius Letcher, John Fonda; 
Treasurer, Ira Lawrence; Collector, David Williams. 
Gilbert Purdy was chosen President, and James Strang, 
Clerk. The officers for 1900 are : Trustees, Frank Law, 
John Hemstreet ; President, Frank Law ; Clerk, William 
E. Bennett; Treasurer, David F. Baker. 

Mr. Albert Clemments in his reminiscences, published 
in Sylvester's History of Saratoga County, says that he 
was the engineer who laid out the village, and that Philip 
Schuyler, 2d, and a Mr. G. C. Bedell carried the chain for 
him. Mr. Schuyler at that time owned practically the 
entire site of Schuylerville. Mr. Bedell kept a store 
where Thomas' music store now is, 122 Broadway, owned 
at present by Philip Kahn. We have not discovered the 
date of the laying out of the town site, but in all proba- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 327 

bility it was done soon after the opening of the canal, and 
before much building had been done, certainly before the 
incorporation according to the village records. The sys- 
tem of alleys between the streets, quite unusual in New 
York villages, was an excellent idea. 

Earliest Fire Department 

It is interesting to note that the first means for fighting 
fires in the village was the "bucket brigade." Each citi- 
zen owning a house, worth $500 or more, must provide 
himself with two buckets, bearing his initials, and kept 
in a convenient place in his house. When an alarm of 
fire was given each must appear on the scene with his 
buckets filled with water. The village purchased a fire 
engine in 1836. The trustees selected the following per- 
sons to compose the fire company : 

Mayo Pond, Captain. 

Philander Curtis, William Haggerty, 

Ira Bartlett, Andrew A. Tubbs, 

Jacob Osborn, Gamaliel McCreedy, 

John R. Dickinson, George McCreedy, 

Bruce Dervel, E. M. Livingston, 

Malcolm McNaughton, Thos. N. Dillingham, 

Abram Cox, Derrick S. Ball, 

William G. Leonard, Lucas Van Veghten, 

William Pettit, James McNaughton, 

Hugh W. White, Daniel W. Belding, 

William Carroll, John W. Van Denburgh, 

Darius Peck, Stephen Adams, 

Walter Welch, Joel Johnson, 

Orrin Ferris, Rensselaer Williams, 

Josiah S. Scofield, Isaac Whitman. 
Otis Taylor, 

This was Schuylerville's first fire company. 



328 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The following item copied from the old village record 
reads rather queerly at the end of the century, and at the 
same time affords. us a vivid pen picture of Schuylerville's 
street life at that epoch : 

"At a Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees held 
at the house of Thos. McGinnis On Monday Evening 
the 4th May 1835, it was unanimously resolved that all 
hogs now running at large in the Streets shall be drove 
to the Pound on the 8th Inst, and all Cows are to be shut 
up or yarded over Night at the same time or be Subject 
to be impounded, and all ball playing in the Public Streets 
is hereby forbidden and Subject to a penalty of fifty cents 
for each and Every offence." 

The canal had not been running for many years before 
a company of citizens thought they would be warranted 
in building a toll bridge across the river to accommodate 
the constantly increasing traffic from the east. This 
important piece of engineering was completed and 
opened in 1836. And then passed for ever the old "horse- 
boat" which for so many years had ferried the multitudes 
across the brimming river. 

The Advent of Railroads 

After they began to build railroads, and the people 
became assured of their practicability, every town of size 
in the State fondly hoped that it would soon be provided 
with this marvelous means of communication. The first 
railroad built in the State was from Albany to Schenec- 
tady in 1831 ; the next year one was completed from 
Schenectady to Saratoga Springs. That same year, 1832, 
a company was incorporated to build a road from the 
Springs to Schuylerville, but of course it was not built, 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 329 

and Schuylerville had to be content with the canal packet 
and stage coach. In 1869 the town bonded itself for 
$100,000 to aid in the construction of a road from 
Mechanicville to Fort Edward. This is the natural route 
for a railroad to the north from Albany, as it was at the 
first of the Indian trail, the military road and the canal. 
A few sections of the road were graded, and those long 
ridges of earth are all that the town has to show for its 
ambitious generosity. 

In 1870, Greenwich, five miles to the east, got a rail- 
road, and in 1882, the Fitchburg Railroad Company ran 
in a branch from Saratoga Springs to Schuylerville, 
which has been of inestimable service to the business and 
manufacturing interests of the town, as well as an 
accommodation to the traveling public. The Fitchburg 
Railroad, with its branches, has this year (1900) become 
part of the system of the Boston & Maine railroad. 

These railroads effectually tapped the country to the 
east and west, diverting both transportation and travel 
and, hence, practically ruined Schuylerville's prestige as 
the great shipping point and depot for this section. But 
its loss, in this particular, has never interfered with the 
real growth or importance of the place. The canal still 
remained and has continued to do a great deal of trans- 
portation to and from this point ; and it still found itself 
the center of a remarkable series of water-powers which 
had never yet been properly developed. These were first, 
the Fish creek, a large stream which falls a hundred feet 
within a mile from the canal ; second, the Battenkill, just 
across the river, a stream of equal size and possibilities; 
and thirdly, the Hudson itself, with its rapids a mile or 
two above. Soon its enterprising citizenship, together 
with capital seeking investment from without, trans- 



330 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

formed Schuylerville from a distributing and shipping 
mart to a manufacturing center. But this characteristic 
was the "image and superscription" stamped upon it at 
the first by Gen. PhiHp Schuyler. Yes, from its earhest 
history, as we have already seen, Old Saratoga has been 
known as the place of great mills. 



CHAPTER IX 

Manufacturers 

A SKETCH of the organization, character and output of 
these several industrial plants rightfully merits a little of 
our space and attention here. Gen. Philip Schuyler dur- 
ing his day partially developed both the lower and upper 
falls of the Fish creek for running his flouring mills, linen 
mill, fulling mill and sawmills. His grandson built the 
old Ploricon for the manufacture of cotton goods in 1828. 
This was the second cotton mill built in the State, the 
first being at Greenwich in 18 17, and it is now the oldest 
building in the State that has been used continuously as 
a cotton mill. 

A fulling mill was built on the north side of the creek 
very early, perhaps before the beginning of the 19th cen- 
tury. It stood mainly on the site of the present grist mill. 
It was a long wooden building. On the east end of it 
stood an old distillery. A Mr. Lawrence came here in 
1 8 19 and took charge of the fulling mill and ran it till 
about 1830. At this time Mr. Philip Schuyler, 2d, hav- 
ing fitted up the old distillery for the manufacture of 
woolen cloth, Mr. Lawrence took charge of this also and 
ran it till 1837, when he left town. Returning in 1845, 
he resumed the business of woolen manufacture until the 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 331 

old building burned ; before its burning, however, the 
west end had come to be used for the manufacture of 
woodenware; bowls, rakes, axe helves, tool handles,, etc. 

In 1832, David B. French of Argyle, N. Y., came to 
Schuylerville looking for a place to start a foundry, as 
there was scarcely an establishment of the kind in the val- 
ley north of Troy. He secured the old distillery, and the 
basement of the woolen factory and commenced opera- 
tions. Mr. French ran that foundry for thirty-three 
years and retired in 1865. It then came into possession 
of David Craw & Co., who ran it for many years. It is 
now owned and run by Baker & Shevlin of Saratoga 
Springs, and is under the superintendency of A. J. Ken- 
nedy. It was greatly enlarged in 1900, and now employs 
ten men. Through all this long series of years the works 
have never been suspended, and at the' end of the century 
are driven with orders. 

In the year 184 1 the present raceway was extended to 
the east and a grist mill was erected by Conrad Cramer 
where the paper mill now stands, beyond this was a plas- 
ter mill. The sawmill now run by G. E. Laing at the end 
of the canal slip has been there for many years, though 
at the first it stood east and west, instead of north and 
south; this change in position was made about 1871. 

The Cotton Mills 

The Saratoga Victory Manufacturing Company estab- 
lished themselves on the upper falls of the Fish creek in 
1846. The original capital invested was $40,000, which 
was ultimately increased to $425,000. Since its organiza- 
tion it has continued to be the most important industry 
in town. The company came into possession of the Hori- 



332 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

con mills about 1857, which they have since greatly 
extended. They manufacture a very fine grade of 
silesias. The company employs 525 hands, runs 1,050 
looms, and 47,000 spindles, pays out in wages $3,500 per 
week, and in 1899 produced 7,524,968 yards of cloth. 
The grist and saw mills at Grangerville are also owned 
by this company, thus giving them complete control of the 
stream away back to Saratoga Lake. For many years 
dyeing and finishing works were run in connection with 
the factories, but these were suspended some years since. 
The present officers of the company are : President, C. W. 
Mayhew, of Schuylerville ; Treasurer, Louis Robeson, of 
Boston ; Secretary, J. P. Harrington, and Superinten- 
dent, A. C. Thomas, of Victory. Mr. Mayhew has been 
connected with this company since its organization in 
1846. For sixteen years he served as accountant, for 
twenty 3^ears as agent, and for the last eighteen years as 
President. A remarkable record. Mr. Mayhew has been 
prominently connected with the business interests of 
Schuylerville since 1838, when he settled in the town. 

The Schuylerville Paper Company 

The Schuylerville Paper Company's plant is an institu- 
tion originally established by D. A. Bullard & Co., in 
1863. It supplanted the old grist and plaster mills. In 
the year 1864 a remarkable explosion occurred in this 
mill. About one o'clock at night a large rotary boiler 
used for cooking straw, etc., weighing tons, blew from its 
place like a rocket, burst through the building where it 
was confined, crashed through a house, then through 
another large building used as a store, then through a 
smaller store, and finally broke into the house Nos. 56-58 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 2>2,2> 

Broadway, yet standing, where it landed. As a result 
this whole series of buildings were a heap of ruins. A 
man and his wife asleep in bed were killed instantly, and 
the boiler, with its end loaded with dry goods and other 
commodities, stopped at the side of a bed whereon lay 
another couple asleep. 

In the year 1870 Mr. D. A. Bullard bought out his part- 
ners and ran the business alone. That same year these 
mills were again destroyed by a similar explosion, but this 
time the boiler landed in the sawmill to the east. The 
machinery as well as the building was practically a wreck, 
but with characteristic energy Mr. Bullard had 
the mills running again in thirty days. Soon 
after this Mr. Bullard took his two sons, Edward 
C. and Charles M., into partnership and the busi- 
ness was run till 1896 under the style of D. A. 
Bullard & Sons. In that year it was incorporated as the 
Schuylerville Paper Company, with the following officers : 
President, D. A. Bullard; Vice-President, Charles M. 
Bullard ; Secretary and Treasurer, D. A. Bullard, 2d. 

The plant is equipped with thoroughly up-to-date 
machinery, with large storage capacity, and owns a large 
reservoir half way up to the monument, which supplies 
clear water for fire and washing purposes. This mill 
produces ten tons of book and news paper per day. It 
employs thirty-five hands, and its weekly pay roll 
amounts to $350. The head of this firm has been identi- 
fied with the business interests of Schuylerville for more 
years than any other resident. Indeed, he is now the old- 
est resident of the village who was born within its limits. 
He was born in 18 14. The oldest continuous resident is 
Miss Mary J. Allen, who was born here in 1826. 



334 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The Grist and Flouring Mills 

The present brick grist mill was built by D. A. Bullard 
& Co. in 1854. Another mill stood just to the west of 
this on the site of Schuyler's mill, and for a time was run 
by Horace Bennett. The present mill was run by George 
H. Bennett from 1857 till 1897. Under his management 
it attained a wide reputation for the quality of rye flour 
produced. For many years the SARATOGA MILLS 
brand has been the standard of excellence over the whole 
country for that kind of flour. The mills are now run by 
his son, James Bennett, the third generation of Bennetts 
who have prosecuted this ancient and honorable business 
at this place. 

The Thompson Pulp and Paper Company 

The Thompson Pulp and Paper Company was organ- 
ized in the year 1888, and erected a monster mill on the 
east side of the Hudson two miles above Schuylerville. 
Although wholly outside of the corporate limits of our 
village, yet we include it, as we will the next manufactur- 
ing plant, in our sketch, because Schuylerville is the ship- 
ping point for the product and the home, or at least the 
market town, of most of the employees. This organiza- 
tion received its name from its chief promoter and orig- 
inal stockholder, the late Hon. Lemon Thompson, from 
whom the little village which has grown up around this 
great establishment has taken its name. It was erected 
for the purpose of producing a superior quality of wood- 
board. The great machine was designed by and built 
under the supervision of J. D. Powers, and when set up 
was, and still is, the largest paper machine in the world. 
It is 274 feet long and delivers a sheet of heavy jute fibre 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 335 

board nine feet wide and of the very finest quality. Its 
capacity is twenty-five tons per day. The mill has every 
facility for grinding its own pulp and preparing all its 
raw material. The capital is $100,000. The mill employs 
eighty-five hands, and its weekly pay-roll is about $1,200. 
Its otficers are: President and Treasurer, C. S. Merrill, 
M. D., Albany; Vice-President, E. G. Benedict, Albany; 
Secretary, R. G. DeWitt, Albany; Manager, J. D. 
Powers, Schuylerville. 

The American Wood Board Company 

This extensive manufacturing plant is a monument to 
the remarkable energy and business capacity of several 
young men. They organized the American Wood Board 
Company in 1892. They purchased the old mill privilege 
at Clarks Mills, at the mouth of the Battenkill, and in a 
relatively small way began the production of wood board. 
So extraordinary were the merits of their product and so 
successful were they in finding a market for their goods 
that they were soon compelled to increase the capacity of 
their works. This they did in 1898 by erecting a large 
brick structure admirably adapted to their needs and 
equipping it with the latest and most improved machinery. 
These same enterprising young men organized the 
Blandy Pulp and Paper Company, in 1898, at Center 
Falls, seven miles up the stream, with a capital of $50,000. 
This was designed to serve as a sort of vent or safety 
valve for their surplus energies. 

The American Wood Board Company is capitalized at 
$100,000 ; it employs eighty men, produces eighteen tons 
of wall paper and nine tons of cardboard per day, and 
reports a weekly pay-roll of $650. The present officers 
are : President, I. C. Blandy ; Vice-President and Super- 



336 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

intendent, D. C. Trondsen; Secretary, A. W. Hitchcock; 
Treasurer, John A. Dix. 

The Liberty Wall Paper Company 

The Liberty Wall Paper Company is the latest addition 
to the manufacturing industries of Schuylerville. This 
too is a remarkable example of the business sagacity and 
daring of a body of young men, who saw the unusual 
advantages offered by Schuylerville for the establishment 
of such an industry here. Messrs. Eugene Ashley and 
Isaac C. Blandy, of the American Wood Board Company, 
succeeded in interesting two young men from the west, 
James H. Findley and Harry D. Sarver, who were practi- 
cal paper makers, men of means, and acquainted with the 
markets, in the enterprise. They quickly succeeded in 
organizing a company with a capital of $250,000, secured 
an eligible site on the canal a short distance above Schuy- 
lerville, and in the winter of 1898 began the erection of 
the proposed mill. When completed they had the hand- 
somest and most substantial wall paper factory in Amer- 
ica. The mill is 100 by 400 feet, three stories high, and 
is equipped with every facility that ingenuity has yet 
devised for the manufacture of wall decorations in the 
highest style of the art. 

When the mill began to manufacture wall paper for 
the market, September 19, 1899, it was supplied with 
sufficient orders to keep it running much of the time night 
and day to the end of the season. The mill's full comple- 
ment of hands at the beginning of its second year was 
two hundred. Twelve great machines turn out fifty to 
sixty thousand rolls per day, or twelve million rolls for 
the season. This mill produces no cheap goods — only the 
medium and highest grade papers are suffered to pass 
throusfh its doors. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 337 

The present officers are: President, E. Ashley; Vice- 
President, I. C. Blandy; Secretary, W. J. Lapham; 
Treasurer and General Manager, J. H. Findlay, Superin- 
tendent of Manufacturing, F. Cleary; Shipping Clerk, 
Paul J. Gilbert. 

In the Champlain canal, Boston & Maine railroad, and 
the Electric road, recently constructed, Schuylerville 
offers excellent facilities for the shipment of goods, as 
well as the procurement of raw material. These together 
with the remarkable aggregation of water power in this 
immediate vicinity account for the concentration here 
of these many great productive plants. And still there 
is room for more. 

In the year 1900 Schuylerville found itself provided 
with another outlet to the wide world beyond, with its 
markets, in the shape of an electric railroad. This con- 
nects it with Stillwater and all points to the south. Fort 
Edward to the north, and Greenwich to the east. It is 
not only intended for passenger 'traffic, but is also fully 
equipped for the handling of heavy freight. The com- 
pany purchased suitable grounds along the line of its road 
up on the Battenkill, adjoining the beautiful Dianonda- 
howa Falls. Here they have begun fitting up a hand- 
some park and picnic grounds. 

CHAPTER X 

Churches, Schools and the Press 

The Churches 

Having traced the material growth of Schuylerville, and 
sketched the rise and development of its industries which 
afford our citizenship the means of procuring the com- 

28 



338 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

forts and luxuries of life, we will next turn our attention 
to those institutions which have ever proved the most 
potent factors in the development of character, and in 
the training of the young for usefulness in life, and good 
citizenship : The churches, the schools and the press. 

The Reformed Church 

The first religious society organized here was the 
Reformed Church, originally called, The Reformed 
Protestant Dutch Church. Since the ante-Revolutionary 
records of this church were destroyed, or lost, during that 
war, we are left to conjecture as to the date of its found- 
ing. It must have been as early as 1770, and very likely 
a few years before; for in 1771 it had developed enough 
strength to erect a house of worship.^** Towards this 
most worthy object Gen. Philip Schuyler and Killaen 
De Ridder were the chief contributors. De Ridder gave 
a hundred acres of land, located to the southwest, on Lot 
24, of the Saratoga Patent. 

First Reference to Religious Affairs at Saratoga 

The first reference to the affairs of religion in this 
locality which we have been able to find is in a letter to 
General Schuyler from William Smith, a noted historian 
and legal light of ante-Revolutionary days. It was dated 
New York, late in 177 1. In it he takes occasion to speak 
very highly of a Rev. Mr. Drummond who had recently 
settled in "Saratogue." He speaks of him as one "who 
bears ample testimonials of worth. I think it a good cir- 
cumstance that he was ordained in Scotland, for vou 



^** See note in first book of post Revolutionary Records of Reformed 
Church of Schuylerville, pp 50, 89. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



339 



know that national establishment is closely connected 
with that of the Netherlands. Mr. Drummond is a good 
scholar and may be useful to your boys. I think he will 
be so to the public, as he can promote emigration from 
divers points of North Britain." [A matter in which 
Schuyler was greatly interested just then]. He concludes 
by saying: "If you think him good enough for the illumi- 
nated tenants of Saratogue, you will find him liberal in 
his sentiments and yet orthodox in his life, which is the 
best sort of orthodoxy."^'*-^ 

The First Church Built 

Three years after this we find an item which implies 
that a church edifice was already here. In a letter to Capt. 
Philip Van Rensselaer, dated Saratoga, November i8, 
1774, Schuyler says: "Please to ask Philip Livingston, 
Esq., for the bell which he was so good as to promise for 
the Saratoga church. "^^® Whether the sonorous peals of 
that promised bell ever awoke the echoes of this valley 
and called the worshippers to the house of God, we have 
not been able to ascertain. 

Location of Church 

From the early church records we learn that the church 
stood east and west, that it had a stoop, was adorned with 
a steeple, and had three aisles. The church stood on a 
four-acre lot given by General Schuyler, south of the 
creek, in the angle of the. river and Victory roads. Dur- 
ing the war the society was broken up and scattered. 
The cut is from a pen and ink sketch, made by the author, 



"5 Lossing's Life of Schuyler. Vol. 
1*8 A Godchild of Washington, p. 189 



R* 




THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 341 

and submitted to Mr. D. A. Bullard, who remembered 
the old church, and who pronounced it an accurate repro- 
duction. The two rows of windows indicate that the 
church had galleries on three sides. 

From the reminiscences of Mr. J. P. Becker (the Sexa- 
genary), we gather that there was regular worship at 
the old church before the Revolution ; that it was after 
the Sunday morning service on the 30th of April, 1775, 
that the people, there assembled, heard of the battle of 
Lexington from the lips of Gen. Philip Schuyler, and 
were deeply stirred by the news. He also tells how his 
father, v/ith two other gentlemen, being desirous to 
observe at closer range the retreat of Burgoyne and his 
army, appeared just in the nick of time to save the old 
church from the torch of a British soldier. He tells of 
the cannonading it received from the royal batteries dur- 
ing the siege and before the surrender, and how it bore 
the scars of those iron missiles as long as it stood. It is 
said to have served as a wayside hospital for the British 
army during their passage down and up from the battle- 
field. The late George Strover used to relate the follow- 
ing tragedy, said to have been enacted in that church. 
A young lady seated at a north window eating an apple 
was instantly killed by a rifle shot, fired by an American 
sharpshooter, the ball cutting her throat. She was buried 
within the church under the spot where she was killed. 
Mr. Strover himself saw the blood stains on the wainscot- 
ing and floor, and also the bones when they were exhumed 
at the demolition of the building. The church was after- 
ward used as a depot for commissary stores during the 
unsettled years between the surrender of Burgoyne and 
the proclamation of peace in the year 1783. 



342 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Reorganization After the Revolution 

The resources of the society had been so crippled by the 
war that several years elapsed ere they felt able to settle 
a pastor. Preliminary steps, however, had been taken to 
this end in 1785 by Gen. Philip Schuyler, Cornelius Van 
Veghten, Killaen De Ridder, James Brisbin and A. Mc- 
Niel, as trustees. The permanent reorganization took 
place in 1789 under the supervision of Dominie Eilardus 
Westerlo, the zealous patriot, who had for years so effi- 
ciently served the First Reformed Church of Albany. 
July loth of that year a meeting was held in which twenty 
male members took part and elected Col. Cornelius Van 
Veghten and Peter Becker, father of the Sexagenary, as 
elders, and Jesse Toll and James Abeel as deacons. They 
also resolved that the services of the church should be 
conducted in the English language, and extended a call 
to the Rev. Samuel Smith, a young man who had just 
completed his studies. He accepted the call, arrived on 
the ground the 9th of December, 1789, and was ordained 
the 17th of January, 1790. 

The reorganization of this impoverished church and 
the support of a pastor required the assistance of the 
sister churches in the denomination, which fact became 
the occasion for the creation of the Board of Domestic 
Missions of that denomination.^*" 

Mr. Smith married the daughter of Cornelius Van 
Veghten. Albert Clemments in his Recollections, remark- 
ing on the periodic return of fashions, tells how he used 
to see a negro boy carry the train of Mrs. Smith from 
the carriage to the pcw.^*^ 



"■^ Corwin's Manual of the Dutch Reformed Churches, p. 269. 
1*8 Sylvester's Hist, of Saratoga County, p. 264. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 343 

The pews had all been removed from the church during 
the war and had doubtless been made to serve for 
kindling wood, and the church had been greatly damaged 
in other ways. Jacob Dannalds, a local carpenter, was 
commissioned to restore them. After they were built a 
committee was appointed to wait on Gen. Philip Schuyler 
and Killaen De Ridder, and grant them their choice of 
the pews as a return for their large contributions, and for 
what they had promised yet to give. 

Lining Out the Hymns 

In the days when books were scarce and costly, and the 
majority of the people were not able to read, it was cus- 
tomary for the pastor or the precentor of the church to 
read one or more lines of a hymn and then bid the con- 
gregation to sing them, then to read another, and so on 
to the end of the hymn. Here is a reference to this 
ancient custom from the old records of the Saratoga 
(Schuylerville) church, which also indicates that the days 
of the old practice were about numbered. 

"Saratoga, Jan. 3, 1792. 

In Consistory 

"Ai't. 2. Whereas it is the general Custom of our 
Churches to sing without reading the line. Resolved that 
this shall be our practice after the ist Lord's Day in Feb- 
ruary next." 

Introduction of Stoves 

Until near the close of the last century few churches 
in this country had any arrangements for heating, and 
even as late as 1825 some congregations had great diffi- 
culty in persuading the older people that it would not be 



344 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

sacrilegious to admit a stove into the sacred edifice. In 
connection with this the following- item taken from the 
old record will prove interesting to some : 

"Resolved that one of the stoves (with the pipe belong- 
ing to both) be set up in the Middle Isle on a raised stage 
and that the smoke be carried out of the window over the 
Door.'' This indicates that the miatter of heating was 
not considered when the church was built or there would 
have been a chimney to carry off the smoke. The other 
stove spoken of was afterwards set up near the pulpit and 
the pipe carried out of the southwest window. The above 
resolution was dated January 8, 1794. 

Union with Tissiook 

At the next meeting of the Consistory an application 
was received from the Reformed Dutch Church at 
Tissiook to be received into union with this church, in 
order that they might share in the services of the Rev. 
Samuel Smith. After due consideration it was deter- 
mined to grant their request, and to permit the pastor at 
Saratoga to serve them once a month. These two 
churches maintained this relation for a number of years. 
This being the first time that Tissiook, as the name of 
a place, had appeared in our reading, we were at a loss 
as to its whereabouts till, after diligent inquiry, we find 
that it was the original name for Buskirks-on-the- 
Hoosac. 

A Lottery to Pay Debts 

Soon the church found itself sadly in debt and various 
schemes were devised by the officials to extricate them- 
selves. In this connection the old record 5'ields another 
item, the reading of which is somewhat startling, to say 
the least. Here it is : 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



345 



"At a meeting of the Consistory held Jan. 2d, 1795. 
. "Art. 4. Resolved (if the Revd. Classis of Albany 
give their Sanction to the same) that we will petition the 
Honbl., the Legislature, in their present session, to grant 
us a lottery for 5000 tickets at 3 Dollars each, and 15 pr. 
Cent Drawback to be reserved for the Benefit of the 
Reformed Dutch Church of Saratoga." 

Viewed from the moral standpoint of a century later 
this proposition looks pretty shadowy; but when we 
recall that up to within fifty years, or less, lotteries 
received the cordial approval of the vast majority of peo- 
ple, and that in those days it was the popular method for 
raising money for public and charitable purposes, such 
as the founding of hospitals, asylums, colleges,^*'' etc., 
it is well to look with some charity upon these fathers 
harassed with debt; and yet lotteries, like all other 
forms of gambling, were, then as now, unchristian; but 
people had not generally come to realize their true char- 
acter at that time. 

The committee appointed to obtain the consent of the 
Classis, "Reported: that the Revd. Classis gave it as 
their opinion that lotteries are sinful acts,"^^^ and so the 
matter was dropped. In their moral sense the members 
of that Reverend body, the Classis, were at least fifty 
years ahead of their time. 

The First Parsonage 

In 1792 the society decided to build a parsonage. It 
purchased from Leonard Gansevoort a lot of fifty acres 
a mile and one half north of the church with the buildinsfs 



"9 Union College, Schenectady, raised much of its endowment by lot- 
teries. 

MO Church Record, p. 56. 



346 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

thereon for £200 ($1,000). The house then standing 
upon the place being in a ruinous condition it was torn 
down and a new one erected. The old house had stood 
there before and during the Revolution. It is marked on 
'Burgoyne's map. The lot extended down to the river. 
This old parsonage, No. 265 Broadway, is still standing, 
owned and occupied by Mr. James Burton, who has very 
considerately left it in nearly its original form, barring 
necessary repairs. 

In a letter dated Saratoga, June 13, 1795, addressed to 
the consistory of the Reformed Protestant Dutch 
Church of Saratoga (Schuylerville), John B. Schuyler 
(son of the General) makes the following request: 

"Gentlemen: I have thought proper to address you 
in this manner to request that you give me permission to 
erect for my family, and my use, a pew in one of the 
4 corners of the church, as I am persuaded no incon- 
venience can result from granting me this request, either 
to the congregation in general, or to any particular indi- 
viduals ; I am fully assured you will not think the 
request improper. 

I remain your most obedient and 

very humble servant, 

John B. Schuyler. 
To the Rev. S. Smith, D. D." 

The request was of course granted and the pew was 
erected ; and for many a long year thereafter the Schuy- 
lers came on Sunday in the yellow family coach to wor- 
ship in this primitive church. ^^^ 



1^^ Schuyler MSS., in possession of Miss Fanny Schuyler, of Pelham-on- 
Sound, N. Y. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 347 

In the year 1800 the Killaen De Ridder lot of 100 acres 
was sold by the church on perpetual lease to Walter 
De Ridder and Cornelius Van Veghten for $875 and a 
yearly rent of twenty-five cents. The money was applied 
to the liquidation of debts. 

Building on a New Site 

At a meeting of the consistory February 7, 182 1, after 
considering that the old church had become badly out of 
repair, and that it was now a long way from the village 
of Schuylerville, which was growing up on the north 
side of the creek, it was decided to build a new church 
more conveniently located. The lot was donated by 
Philip Schuyler, 2d, in 1821, and the new church was 
erected. Philip Schuyler having obtained permission 
of the consistory, built in 1830 a family vault on the 
church yard, east of the church edifice, and facing the 
alley. On February i, 1831, this church caught fire from 
a coal accidently dropped by the sexton when going in to 
start a fire. 

The Stone Church 

At once the consistory took steps to rebuild, but this 
time they concluded to use stone instead of wood. The 
architecture selected for this edifice was of the Greek 
temple order, without a tower, a style much in vogue at 
that time. There were galleries on three sides of this 
church. Rev. Hugh M. Boyd was pastor. 

Building of Present Brick Church 

After the lapse of twenty-five years the stone church 
was found to be too small to meet the needs of the grow- 
ing congregation. It was therefore decided in the year 
1856 to rebuild on a larger scale. The pillars in the front 



348 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

were left, but the stone walls were all taken down save 
the present partition between the main Sunday School 
room and the middle room. The rear wall of this 
enlarged church now forms the partition between the 
-Second and third rooms in the basement. This enlarged 
church was dedicated June 2, 1857. The present bell and 
tower clock were installed at that time. The Rev. Samuel 
T. Searle was pastor at the time. The building committee 
were William Wilcox, Mayo Pond, Oliver Brisbin, M. D., 

B. B. Lansing, C. W. Mayhew and G. S. Brisbin. Mr. 

C. W. Mayhew, of the above committee, still abides with 
us (1900), a veteran of many years' service. 

Selling the Old and Building a New Parsonage 

In 1850 the congregation decided to sell the old parson- 
age, which had been occupied by its pastors for fifty-eight 
years, and build a new one nearer the church. It was 
purchased by William B. Marshall, owner of the historic 
Marshall house. The house now standing on the south- 
west corner of Pearl and Ferry streets was erected the 
same year. 

In order to make room for a fine pipe organ, the gift of 
Mrs. Laura Mott, of Saratoga Springs, as a memorial 
to her sister, Mrs. Cornelia Losee, it was determined, in 
1888, to again extend the church to the rear. Fourteen 
feet was then added and the old choir gallery was trans- 
ferred from the front to its present location. This was 
done during the pastorate of the Rev. E. A. McCullom. 

Parsonage No. 3 

Parsonage No. 2 having become sadly out of repair 
and uncomfortable, it was decided in 1898 to sell the same 
and build a new one on the church lot. The present com- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 349 

modious and handsome manse is the result of this decis- 
ion. It was completed for occupancy the ist of April, 
1899. Thus three houses built by this society, as homes 
for their pastors, are now standing in Schuylerville. The 
committee who had charge of the building of the present 
manse were : Rev. John H. Brandow, C. W. Mayhew and 
J. O. Hannum. 

List of Pastors 

The following are the names of pastors who have 
served this church : 

Rev. Mr. Drummond, from 1771 to 1777 (?) 

Rev. Samuel Smith, from 1789 to 1801. 

Rev. Philip Duryee, from 1803 to 1828. 

Rev. Hugh M. Boyd, from 1829 to 1834. 

Rev. Edward H. May, from 1834 to 1839. 

Rev. David A. Jones, from 1839 ^o 1844. 

Rev. Charles H. Chester, from 1844 to 1850. 

Rev. Samuel T. Searle, from 1850 to 1857. 

Rev. Franklin Merrill, from 1858 to 1861 (died 

while pastor, April i, 1861). 
Rev. Abram G. Lansing, from 1862 to 1868. 
Rev. Isaac H. Collier, from 1869 to 1874. 
Rev. David K. Van Doren, from 1874 to 1882. 
Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman, from 1883 to 1885. 
Rev. Edward A. McCullom, from 1886 to 1891. 
Rev. John A. Hainer, from 1892 to 1895. 
Rev. John H. Brandow, from 1895 to . 

Baptist Church 

The Baptist Church of Schuylerville, known until 1836 
as the First Baptist Church of Saratoga, was constituted 
in 1790, and was received as a member of the old Shafts- 
bury Association in 179 1. 



35° 



THE SrORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



It united with the Saratoga Association in 1805. The 
Baptist Church of Old Saratoga was represented in the 
Association of 1791 by Rev. S. Rogers, pastor, and S. 
Munger, messenger. They reported forty-seven mem- 
bers. In 1800 no delegates were present and the mem- 
bership is stated at twenty-eight. The successive 
ministers preaching for this church have been Samuel 
Rogers, Joseph Craw, Azariah Hanks, John Colby, J. 
Finch, S. S. Parr, Chas. B. Keyes, Joseph W. Sawyer, 
P. B. Gillette, J. Murphy, B. F. Garfield, William Hutch- 
inson, T. S. Rogers, William Bowen, Elder Coburn, 
Elder DuBois, William J. Loomis, J. H. Bullard, William 
Garnett, James DuBois, Irving C. Forte, F. N. Crandell, 
E. E. Manning, A. W. Rogers and W. H. Randall. 

The loss of the written records earlier than 1832 pre- 
vents giving the names of the first officers, with facts of 
general interest, which might easily be selected from such 
records. The earlier preaching, as in the case of other 
societies, was in school houses, barns and private houses. 

First Church Edifice — Where? 

The first church edifice was probably built in 1807 or 
1808. It stood near the " present residence of Hiram 
Cramer, about twenty rods to the west of his house and 
about three miles from Schuylerville. 

It is still standing, and is used as a hay barn. Jordan's 
Bridge was an old place of baptism, Stafford's Bridge 
was another. The new church in Schuylerville was built 
about the year 1833. 

The First Minister 

Rev. Samuel Rogers, the first minister of this church, 
had been in the military service during the Revolutionary 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 351 

War. He was a teamster attached to the army of Gates 
during* the Burgoyne campaign. One night he was carry- 
ing a load of specie northward, and was so closely fol- 
lowed by the British, and the muddy roads so delayed his 
progress, he was obliged to cut his team loose — allow 
them to go — while he carried the kegs of specie into the 
woods and kept guard over them all night. The next 
day he succeeded in getting them safely to their destina- 
tion. He died in Stillwater, February 6, 1823. At the 
time of building the church in Schuylerville, Josiah Finch 
was clerk, and Richard M. Livingston was a very active 
leader in securing the erection of the church. The church 
cost about $1,600, as then built. A fine parsonage was 
added to the property in 1897, during the pastorate of 
Rev. W. H. Randall. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church — Early Struggles 

The first Methodist society in Schuylerville was organ- 
ized about the year 1820, but preaching services had been 
held here previous to that date. On January 30, 1827, a 
subscription paper was started to provide for a permanent 
place of worship. This timeworn document is still in 
existence. The following interesting statement appears 
in the preface : "From Lansingburg along the valley of 
the Hudson for fifty miles, with a breadth of eight to ten 
miles, the Episcopal Methodists have not one house dedi- 
cated to the worship of God. Private dwellings, school 
houses and barns have hitherto afforded to their classes 
a precarious yet acceptable resort. Perhaps there is not 
a spot in that rich and populous district where so many 
of this denomination of Christians would meet as at 
Schuylerville, if a suitable edifice could be erected." The 
effort made proved successful. With the scanty means 



352 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

of the Methodists in those days any effort to sustain a 
preaching service or provide a house of vv^orship* meant 
long weeks of personal self sacrifice of even the common 
comforts of life. 

A Church Edifice 

A house costing $i,6oo was erected and dedicated in 
the autumn of 1827. This same church still stands, 
although greatly improved and enlarged. The trustees 
at the time of building were John Cox, Jedediah Beck- 
with, Oliver Cleveland, John Seelye and George Strover. 
John Cox also served as steward, clerk and sexton. 

The Itinerant Preacher and His Hardships 

Rev. Mr. Campbell, whose time of service extended 
back to the year iSoo, left many interesting reminiscences 
illustrating the heroism of early Methodism. He traveled 
a circuit of about three hundred miles, taking six weeks 
to complete his circuit of appointments, entering into the 
hardships of the early itinerancy whose records seem 
fabulous ; for example : Sleeping in barns, fording rivers, 
threading ways through dense forests, where he often 
encountered wild animals, holding services in barns, 
preaching from stumps, and traveling in rain, sleet and 
zero weather. These are some of the hardships braved 
by the grand pioneers of that church. 

The first Sabbath school was established about the time 
of the building of the church. Rev. Robert Washburn 
was its President, John Cox, Superintendent, and John 
Seelye, Secretary. Philip Schuyler, 2d's, name appears 
as a contributor to its funds. In 1827 about thirty-five 
members were enrolled. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



353 



The Church Enlarged 

The church edifice was remodeled and enlarged, prayer 
room added, tower built and bell purchased in 1863. The 
entire cost of these improvements was $3,100. Rev. 
Williarn Bedell was the pastor in charge. This is the old- 
est church edifice that has been continuously used for 
worship in all this section. 

This society was originally included in the Saratoga 
Circuit. In 1842 it became a separate charge and was 
designated the Schuylerville station. The Rev. J. B. 
Houghtaling was appointed the first pastor in charge, 
that is, the first who made his home in the place. 

A Parsonage 

During the pastorate of Rev. J. M. Webster, the pres- 
ent commodious parsonage was constructed, which added 
much to the value of the property and the comfort of the 
pastor's family. 

The following constitutes 

The List of Pastors Under the Old Circuit System 



1825 


Rev. B. Griffin 


1832 


Rev. 


P. P. Atwell 


1825 


Rev. W. P. Lake 


1833 


Rev. 


0. Prei 


1825 


W. H. Norris 


1834 


Rev. 


E. Goss 


1826 


Rev. G. Lyon 


1834 


Rev. 


J. Harwood 


1826 


Rev. C. P. Clark 


1835 


Rev. 


H. Burton 


1827 


Rev. D. Ensign 


1836 


Rev. 


C. Meeker 


1827 


Rev. J. Beaman 


1836 


Rev. 


J. Ouinlin 


1828 


Rev. S. Dayton 


1838 


Rev. 


D. Stephens 


1829 


Rev. J. D. Moreart}; 


' 1838 


Rev. 


H. Chase 


1829 


Rev. N. Rice 


1840 


Rev. 


S. Coleman 


I83I 


Rev. J. Lucky 


1840 


Rev. 


C. Pomeroy 


I83I 


Rev. P. Newman 


1841 


Rev. 


J. B. Houghtaling 


1832 


Rev. D. Braylore 









23 



354 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 



List op' Pastors Since Schuylerville Became a 
Charge 



1842 Rev. 


J. B. Houghtaling 


1866-8 


Rev. L. Marshall 


1843-4 Rev. 


C. R. Morris 


1869-70 


Rev. J. B. Sylvester 


1845 Rev. 


S. Styles 


1871-2 


Rev. W. H. L. Starks 


1846-7 Rev. 


P. M. Hitchcock 


1873-5 


Rev. S. M. Williams 


1848-9 Rev. 


0. Emerson 


1876-7 


Rev. A. F. Bailey 


1850 Rev. 


J. Sage 


1878-80 


Rev. A. H. Heaxt 


185 1 Rev. 


J. Quinlin 


1881-3 


Rev. J. M. Webster 


1852-3 Rev. 


S. P. Williams 


1884-6 


Rev. J. G. Fallon 


1854 Rev. 


C. L. Hagar 


1887-8 


Rev. G. E. Stockwell 


1855-6 Rev. 


J. W. Belknap 


1889-91 


Rev. H. S. Rowe 


1857-8 Rev. 


P. P. narrower 


1892 


Rev. L. A. Dibble 


i859-6oRev. 


R. Fox 


1893-5 


Rev. F. G. Heaxt 


1861 Rev. 


S. Meredith 


1896-8 


Rev. H. L. Grant 


1862-3 Rev. 


Wm. Bedell 


1899 


Rev. B. L. Crapo 


1864-5 Rev. 


W. J. Heath 







The Episcopal Church — The Beginnings of this 
Society 

The movement that led to the establishment of the 
Protestant Episcopal Church in Schuylerville commenced 
a little to the north, in the town of Northumberland. Rev. 
Reuben Flubbard traveling through here in 1838 and 
stopping at the house of Mr. Jesse Finne, and becoming 
known as a member of the Episcopal Church, to which 
Mr. Finne had been attached in his youth, was cordially 
invited by him to preach, and did so in his house, March 
19th of that year. Services were held in this manner for 
several years. The first baptisms were three children of 
Mr. John Finne, duly recorded in the books of St. John's 
Church, Stillwater. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 355 

The first service in the village of Schuylerville was held 
in the old Academy, February 25, 1844, by Rev. Reuben 
Hubbard. The first formal organization was made at the 
house of Mr. Finne, March 2, 1846. The Rev. Reuben 
Hubbcird presided, and John Metcalf was secretary. 
They then determined upon the name of St. Stephen's 
Church, and elected the following officers : Jesse Finne 
and James Pickering, wardens; John Finne, Joseph 
Finne, Benjamin Losee, James Pickering, George U. 
Gates, James E. Stebbins, John R. Preston and Henry 
W. Merrill, vestrymen. 

Building the Church 

At the meeting of September 12, 1846, a lot gratui- 
tously offered by the Victory Aianufacturing Company 
was duly and gratefully accepted ; but the society did not 
build at that time, and the services were not maintained 
regularly for some years after 1850. The church was 
finally built and presented to the Society by Dr. Charles 
H. Payne, to whom great credit is due for this munificent 
and timely gift. The edifice occupies a most beautiful 
and picturesque site, and is itself a model of church 
architecture at once neat and classical. 

The services of the first clergyman, Rev. Reuben Hub- 
bard, were continued down to 1850, when the congrega- 
tion, in accepting his resignation, placed upon their 
records a strong expression of their love and esteem,. The 
cornerstone of the church was laid June 2, 1868, Rev. P. 
B. Gibson officiating, and the church was opened for ser- 
vice on Christmas day of the same year. 

List of Rectors 

The rectorship of the church has subsequently been 
filled by Revs. George Forbes, John H. Babcock, George 



356 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

AValker, Geo. W. Dean, D. D., H. C. E. Costelle, Geo. L. 
Neide, A. B. Clark, J. F. Esch, W. F. Parsons and E. Jay 
Cooke, the present incumbent. 

The Church of the Visitation (Roman Catholic) 

Previous to 1847 there were no regular, or permanent, 
services of the Roman Catholic Church in this town, but 
there were many Catholic families already settled here. 
The only churches of their faith within a radius of thirty 
miles were at Lansingburgh, Whitehall and Sandy Hill. 
It required much earnest self-sacrifice and a strong love 
for their faith to go to these distant places, oftentimes on 
foot, to attend service. It is recorded that in order to be 
present at early mass on Christmas morning many would 
set out together on foot the previous night. 

The First Service and Pirst Church 

The first services in this place were held at the houses 
of the different members, conducted at irregular intervals 
by visiting priests. Catholic services were held in the old 
Schuylerville Academy, and in the school house that for- 
merly stood on the extension of Spring Street, just east 
of Broadway. Ground was broken for the first church 
edifice in 1845. This was on a lot opposite the present 
parsonage of the Reformed Church. A plain wooden 
structure was erected at an expense of about $700 and 
consecrated in 1847 by Bishop McCloskey. This work 
was executed during the pastorate of Re\-. Father Daly. 
He was succeeded by Rev. Father Cull in the missionary 
work, who, under the rapid increase of the congregation, 
was obliged to make additions to the church edifice. The 
first resident priest was Rev. Father Roach. He was sue- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 357 

ceeded by the Rev. H. B. Finnegan; he by Rev. F. B. 
McGuire, and he by the present pastor, the Rev. J. J. 
Heffernan. 

Building of the Present Chukch Edifice 

The first church was burned to the ground on Sunday 
morning, June 22, 1871. The society then worshiped for 
a time in the pubhc hall at Victory Mills. The corner- 
stone of a new church was laid by Bishop Conroy, of 
Albany, and the work was pushed through with great 
energy to completion, and the church consecrated by 
Bishop McNierney, of Albany, October 21, 1873. It is a 
noble structure, an ornament to the town, and a credit to 
the congregation that worships in it. To build it required 
energy, determination, perseverance, and heavy financial 
sacrifices by many individuals. It cost originally $40,000. 
It occupies a commanding and central position, overlook- 
ing the surrounding country for many miles. During the 
pastorate of the Rev, J. J. Heffernan a commodious and 
handsome parsonage has been built, and several additions 
have been made to the church edifice, which add to the 
beauty of the structure, and are also of use in the con- 
duct of the services, and the prosecution of the church 
work. 

The Church of Notre Dame de Lourdes (Catholic) 

This is the last of the several churches which have been 
built to minister to the religious needs of our citizenship. 
We have not succeeded in procuring the earlier facts of 
its history. The occasion for this church was the large 
influx of French people, attracted hither from the Domin- 
ion of Canada by the demand for help in the cotton mills. 
They have a large and handsome church edifice, centrally 



358 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

and conspicuously located on a lot donated by the Victory 
Manufacturing Company. 

The present pastor is the Rev. A. B. Desautels. 



Schools 

Much attention was from early times given to the 
education of the young in this locality. The first school 
houses, like the first dwelling houses, were built of logs. 
They were located here and there throughout the town 
at convenient points. The successors of but few of them 
are to be found located on the old sites, however. 

The First Schools 

The first school house in Schuylerville was located just 
east of Broadway where is now the extension of Spring 
Street, and immediately to the north of the house of Mrs. 
Lucy D. Seelye. Many of our older citizens remember 
it as the place where they secured their early education. 
When the village outgrew the capacity of its one school 
house it was divided into two districts, which were named 
the north and south districts, and two new buildings were 
erected. The north school house has been transformed 
into a dwelling house and is now owned and occupied by 
Robert Funson, 107 Pearl Street. The south school 
house was situated on the corner of Green and University 
Streets, and this met with the same fate of the north. It 
is now owned by Jesse Billings. Before their abandon- 
ment as schools the south school house was used for the 
primary (departments) grades, and the north as the high 
school. , 1 Ml 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 359 

The Academy 

In 1839 an academy was built which proved to be a 
great boon to the town. It was patronized both by the 
citizens and by the people of the surrounding country. 
It was located on Church Street, and its site is now 
occupied by the Baptist parsonage. The first principal 
of the old academy was Mr. John Guiles. He was fol- 
lowed by a Mr. Davis. 

Then came Mr. George D. Stewart; he was followed 
by a Mr. Goodenough, and he by a Mr. Baker. Then 
Rev. A. G. Cochrane came in 1856 and taught till 1861. 
Following him was a Mr. Reynolds from Vermont. Mr. 
Cochrane, at the earnest request of the trustees, opened 
school again in the Academy in the fall of 1867, and 
taught but one month, when it was burned down and 
never rebuilt. 

The Union Free School 

The present handsome and commodious high school 
building was erected in 1876. Schuylerville did a wise 
and timely thing in the erection of so noble and well- 
planned a building. This school has been presided over 
by a number of first class educators who have earned for 
it a widespread and enviable reputation for the high 
grade of work done. 

The first principal was Mr. Doty. The school never 
had an abler nor more efficient corps of instructors than 
at present. Mr. Nelson L. Coleman is the present 
principal. 

The Press of Schuylerville 

The first attempt at publishing a newspaper at Schuy- 
lerville was made by J. L. Cramer in 1844. He called it 



36o THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

the Schuylerville Herald. It ran for several years and 
was then discontinued. In 1848 the Old Saratoga was 
established by Allen Corey. This was discontinued in 
1852. R. N. Atwell & Co. published the Battle Ground 
Herald from August i, 1853, to July 31, 1857, just four 
years, and then discontinued it. In December of the same 
year the Saratoga American was started by J. R. Rock- 
well. He continued the publication of this sheet till the 
fall of 1861, when he enlisted in the army, and being 
made captain of Company K, Seventy-seventh Regiment, 
he discontinued his paper. R. N. Atwell ran a job- 
printing ofifice for several years. Then the Schuylerville 
News was established about the year 1867. In the spring 
of 1870 this was succeeded by the Saratoga County 
Standard, which was merged into the Schuylerville Stand- 
ard in 1879. Under this name the paper has been pub- 
lished continuously since that date. Under the editorship 
of Mr. Philip A. Allen it has become one of the most 
enterprising and newsy sheets in the county. 



CHAPTER XI 

The Saratoga Monument 

"National momnnents not only mark, but make, the civilization of a people." 
—Horatio Seymour. 

Saratoga monument, like the Bunker Hill, and Wash- 
ington, and Bennington, and Oriskany monuments, is 
founded on and reared by sentiment. "A rather unsub- 
stantial basis for such substantial structures," says one. 
Yes, but substantial and puissant enough to have placed 
every course of those granite blocks from bed rock 
to apex. The sentiment that wrought this miracle 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 361 

in stone and bronze was pride in the deeds of the fathers, 
and reverence for their characters. Lord Macaulay in 
his remarks on the siege of Londonderry said : "A people 
which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote 
ancestors, will never achieve anything worthy to be 
remembered with pride by remote descendants." 

Whether we have done anything worthy to be remem- 
bered by our descendants they alone will be competent to 
judge, but of one thing we are certain, that we are proud 
of the American forefathers. And we want the world to 
know it ; hence, these noble monuments. 

The Monument Association 

The Saratoga Monument was conceived, and prophe- 
sied of, long years before it became a reality. But the 
first time that men of the right timber and enthusiasm 
got together to consider what steps should be taken to 
incarnate their dream was on October 17, 1856. That 
first meeting was held in the Schuyler mansion, here 
at old Saratoga; a fitting place for launching so noble 
an enterprise. There were present Judge John A. Corey 
of Saratoga Springs, George Strover and several other 
patriotic gentlemen. Alfred B. Street was also present 
and read a poem written for the occasion. The result of 
this meeting was the organization in 1859 of the Saratoga 
Monument Association, under a perpetual charter of the 
State of New York. After the Association was incor- 
porated the organization was perfected by the selection 
of the following 

Officers and Trustees 

President, Hamilton Fish, of New York City. 
Vice-President, Philip Schuyler, of Pelham-on-Sound, 
N. Y. 



362 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Treasurer, James M. Marvin, of Saratoga Springs. 

Secretary, John A. Corey, of Saratoga Springs. 

Corresponding Secretary, James Romeyn Brodhead. 
of New York City. 

Horatio Seymour, Utica, N. Y. 

Benson J. Lossing, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 

Peter Gansevoort, Albany. 

James M. Cook, Ballston Spa, N. Y. 

Edward C. Delavan, Ballston Center, N. Y. 

William Wilcox and George Strover, Schuylerville, 
N. Y. ^ 

Henry Holmes, Corinth, N. Y. 

Asa C. Tefft, Fort Miller, N. Y. 

Leroy Mo wry, Greenwich, N. Y. 

The trustees held several meetings and had agreed 
upon the location of the future monument when the out- 
break of the Civil War, in 1861, completely diverted the 
thought and energies of the people to the saving of the 
Union, which the fathers had formed at such priceless 
sacrifice. The work thus suspended was not resumed 
till the autumn of 1872. A reorganization then became 
necessary, as several of the trustees had died. 

Soon the representatives of the new organization began 
to besiege the State and National legislatures for appro- 
priations with which to begin the work. The original 
intention was to build a plain obelisk of the Bunker Hill 
order, 300 feet high and to cost $500,000. But soon they 
found that they had set their mark too high, as the funds 
were not forthcoming, hence were compelled to modify 
their plans, and finally decided upon a less lofty structure, 
and one that should combine sculpture with architecture. 

The Association met with numberless embarrassments 
and discouragements at the hands of apathetic legis- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 365 

latures and unsympathetic governors. Finally by an 
appeal to patriotic persons throughout the State they 
succeeded in obtaining sufficient money to purchase the 
lot, lay the foundation and construct enough of the base 
to enable them to lay the cornerstone, which was done on 
the centennial anniversary of the surrender of Burgoyne, 
October 17, 1877. 

Laying the Cornerstone 

Elaborate preparations were made for the proper cele- 
bration of that event, both by the citizens of Schuyler- 
ville and the Monument Association. As a result the 
town witnessed the most imposing patriotic celebration 
in all its history, yes, and in the history of northern New 
York. The Masonic fraternity was gathered here from 
every quarter, military organizations from all over the 
State and New England were massed here by the thou- 
sands, and multitudes of civilians, statesmen, etc., promi- 
nent in the public eye, were here from all the States. A 
grand procession was formed, two miles in length, which 
marched through the streets and then to the monument, 
where the cornerstone was laid in "due and ancient form" 
by the Grand Master Mason in the presence of 30,000 
people. 

Orations and addresses were then delivered and origi- 
nal poems read from two grandstands, one located at the 
monument and the other on the then open flats south of 
the Church of the Visitation (Catholic). All the literary 
exercises were of an exceptionally high order, and to this 
day thrill the heart of the patriotic reader with their 
eloquence. The orations of Horatio Seymour and George 
William Curtis are not only eloquent, but display a 
remarkable grasp of the philosophy of our history. The 



364 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

entire program, including the speeches, historical 
addresses, and poems, were collected and published by 
the Association in a memorial volume. 

But grand civic pageants, and orations, and poems, by 
no means piled the granite and laid the capstone of the 
monument that day, though they helped amazingly in 
firing the hearts of the people to the point where they 
were willing to have their representatives appropriate 
the necessary means. The Association now addressed 
themselves to the great task before them with renewed 
zeal. Being composed of men of wide influence, they 
used it all, and needed it all, to accomplish their high pur- 
pose. The recital of the harassments, and annoyances, 
.and disappointments they met with by the way, and the 
wellnigh insuperable obstacles they overcame makes a 
long story, and one often wonders, as he reads the 
account, why they did not abandon the whole thing in 
disgust. As it is, the completed structure is as truly a 
monument to the indomitable perseverance, and patience, 
and resourcefulness, of the members of that Association 
and the victory they won over the opposition of narrow- 
minded legislators, as it is to the victory of American 
arms and ideas over British pride and tyranny. 

Description of the Monument 

The hill on which the monument stands is 240 feet 
above the river, and was known in the Revolution as the 
Heights of Saratoga. Here Burgoyne had his intrenched 
camp. The plinth or base of the monument is forty feet 
square. The shaft is twenty feet square at its base. Its 
height is 155 feet. The monument is a combination of 
the Egyptian obelisk, with Gothic features in the first 
stories. It is ascended bv 189 steps. The architect who 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 365 

designed it was Mr. Jared C. Markham of New York 
City. Morgan's statue was executed by W. R. O'Dono- 
van ; Gates' by Geo. E. Bissell, and Schuyler's by Messrs. 
Moffett and Doyle. The historic tablets were designed 
by J. C. Markham ; eight of them were executed by J. E. 
Kelly, and eight by J. S. Hartley. The cost of the monu- 
ment was $105,000. Private individuals gave $10,000; 
the State of New York, $25,000, and the United 
States Government $70,000. It is not yet finished accord- 
ing to the original designs. Twenty tablets remain to be 
inserted in the three upper stories. The names of Schuy- 
ler, Morgan, Gates and Arnold have not yet been cut 
beneath their niches, and the several captured cannon are 
not yet secured and mounted. This is because the Asso- 
ciation lacked the means to transport them hither and 
properly mount them. Steps are again being taken to 
secure them, with good hope of success. Twice the monu- 
ment has been struck by lightning, which badly shattered 
the apex, necessitating costly repairs. 

The vState of New York has received the monument 
from the hands of the Association and has assumed the 
care of it. It supports a custodian, who cares for the 
property. The present custodian is Mr. J. J. Perkins, a 
veteran of the civil war, who with utmost courtesy points 
out the many places of interest in the line of vision to the 
interested visitor. For the first few years the visitors to 
the monument were few and far between, but now their 
numbers mount into the thousands each month during the 
season of touring. 

View from Monument 

The view from the monument is superb. Nowhere 
else can one obtain so extensive and gratifying a view 



366 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

from so slight an elevation. At your feet lies the pretty 
village of Schitylerville, embowered in trees ; just beyond 
flows the matchless Hudson, gleaming in the sun. On 
every side within the radius of a few miles are scenes of 
Colonial and Revolutionary events, of surpassing historic 
interest. To the north on a clear day one can see the 
villages of Glens Falls, and Sandy Hill, and Fort Edward, 
and Fort Miller; to the east Greenwich and North Easton, 
and to the west Saratoga Springs, and the entire picture 
is enframed in magnificent mountains. To the north are 
the mountains round about Lakes George and Champlain, 
and peeping over their tops are the peaks of Marcy and 
Mclntyre, and other monarchs of the x\dirondacks, eighty 
miles away ; to the east are the Green Mountains of Ver- 
mont, with Mounts Equinox and Saddleback right abreast 
of you ; to the south are the Catskills, seventy-five miles 
distant, with Black Head, Black Dome and Thomas Cole 
Mountains looming up, three in a row, making saw teeth 
with the horizon; and to the west are the Palmertown 
and Kayadrosseros ranges, foothills of the Adirondacks. 
"But it is not because of the scenery — hill and dale, 
sparkling water, beauteous wood, ethereal vault of blue, 
and misty mjountains of enchantment — that this locality 
allures and holds the vagrant vision. This monument is 
the cynosure of patriotism. "^^^ 



162 Hon. S. S. Cox, in the U. S. Senate, 1884. 

"The above facts concerning the Monument, were mainly gleaned from 
Mrs. E. H. W^alworth's "Battles of Saratoga, and Saratoga Monument 
Associ:ition." 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 367 

Guide to Revolutionary and Colonial Sites at 
schuylerville 

Schuylerville is connected by rail with Saratoga Springs, 13 
miles ; Fort Edward, 12 miles ; Greenwich, 6 miles ; Mechanic- 
ville, 16 miles. 

As many are curious to know whether there are yet 
any rehcs at Schuylerville left from Revolutionary and 
Colonial days, we will give for their information the fol- 
lowing list with their location, together with the location 
of historic sites. This guide is a condensation of the 
detailed descriptions found in the preceding pages. 

As the multitudes of tourists who visit this hallowed 
spot naturally turn their steps toward the monument first, 
we will begin our tour at that point. 

The Monument 

Firs-t : The monument stands within the lines of Bur- 
goyne's fortified camp. This camp took in the buildings 
just north of the monument, extended diagonally south- 
east down the hill across the road to near Chestnut street, 
thence south along the crest of the terrace into the 
Victory woods; thence west just over the brow of the 
hill to a point south of the cemetery ; thence north along 
the western slope of the cemetery ridge to the place of 
beginning. 

Morgan's Breastworks 

Second : About sixty rods northwest of the monument 
on a knoll covered with small trees, and now known as 
the Finch burying-ground, but owned by James H. Cars- 
cadden, are to be seen remains of earthworks thrown up 
by Morgan's men. This place can be seen from the 



368 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

monument. Look for them on the east side of burying- 
ground and also in the bushes. 

British Earthworks 

Third: In the Victory woods, south of the monument, 
there are hundreds of feet of the British breastworks in 
an excellent state of preservation. The ground never 
having been permanently cleared nor plowed, these earth- 
works remain as the British left them, except that the 
logs, which may have entered into their construction, are 
rotted away. To find them, look for two pine trees near 
the northern end of the woods ; between these trees you 
will find an angle in the works running south and west. 
At the upper end of the northern leg of this angle are 
some rifle pits, plainly discernible; there are also some 
in front and south of it. Next, about 125 feet to the 
southwest, you will find another angle running west and 
then south ; walk on the crest of these works till you come 
to an obtuse angle which veers to the southwest; near 
this some breastworks run directly south on the edge of a 
clearing. You can follow these easily for several hun- 
dred feet. Near the southern end of these turn to the 
left down into the woods and you will find a line of 
breastworks running from the swampy place through the 
woods to the crest of the ridge on the east. These two 
latter works were doubtless intended to cover their out- 
posts, or advanced pickets. 

The writer asked Mr. J. J. Perkins, the custodian of 
the monument, who was in the artillery service several 
years during the civil war, to go over the ground with 
him, and he declares that there is no doubt of their 
genuineness. 

These being the only relics of Burgoyne's defensive 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 3 

works remaining on this side of the river, at Schuyler- 
ville, it is earnestly hoped that they may be preserved 
intact. They will doubtless remain undisturbed so long 
as they continue in the hands of the Victory Manufactur- 
ing Company. These woods ought to be owned by the 
village, or State. 

American Earthworks 

Fourth : Back of the Victory schoolhouse, on a knoll 
covered with pines, may be seen remains of earthworks 
thrown up by the Americans. These are in a good state 
of preservation. This site is visible from the windows 
of the fourth and fifth stories of the monument. 

Other American Earthworks 

Fifth: Above the Victory Mills, on the south side of 
the creek, is a clump of pines against a hill. On the top 
of the hill back of those pines are remains of Gates' 
works, where he had a battery posted. This site is also 
visible from the monument. Just below the Victory stone 
bridge, on the right bank of the creek, is the site of 
Schuyler's upper sawmill, the only building spared to him 
by Burgoyne. That mill sawed the timber in the present 
Schuyler mansion. 

Camp Grounds 

Sixth : Going down Burgoyne street from the monu- 
ment, after you cross the railroad, the next street you 
come to is Pearl street. On either side of this street as 
you look northward you see the camp ground of several 
companies of British troops and some Germans who 
tented in the woods. A few of the ancient oaks may yet 
be seen in the Reformed Church yard. 

24 



370 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

The Surrender Elm 

Seventh : A few rods north of the foot of Burgoyne 
street, on the east side of Broadway, between the black- 
smith shop and the brick store, stood the old elm under 
which, tradition says, Burgoyne signed the agreement 
to surrender, or "Convention," as he loved to call it. The 
tablet which hung on the old elm is now attached to the 
brick wall. 

Fort Hardy 

Eighth : Old Fort Hardy was located in the angle of 
Fish creek and the river. The road to Greenwich crosses 
its site. It was built in 1757 under the supervision of 
Colonel Montressor, a royal engineer, and it covered 
about fifteen acres. It supplanted a wooden or block- 
house fort which stood in the same angle, but the latter 
was, of course, a much smaller structure. 

Burgoyne's Artillery 

Ninth : On the continuation of Spring street, east of 
Broadway, is the place where Burgoyne had his artillery 
parked behind strong entrenchments. Directly opposite 
this on the other side of the river, on the high bluff, now 
void of trees, is the place where General Fellows had his 
battery posted, which so seriously annoyed the British. 
On the wooded bluft' just to the north of this stood a 
Colonial fort built in 1721 (?). 

German Camp Ground 

Tenth : On the northwest angle of Spring street and 
Broadway, and on the high ground west of Broadway, 
as you go to the north, was the camp ground of the Ger- 
mans ("Hessians"), under General Riedesel. A few rods 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 371 

northwest of the house on the corner, now owned by Mr. 
P. McNamara, were the barracks, built before the Revo- 
lution, burned by the British, and then rebuilt and 
occupied at one time by General Stark. Here no doubt 
the noted spy, Lovelass, was tried and condemned. 

The Marshall House 

Eleventh : The Marshall house is the one in whose 
cellar the Baroness Riedesel (pronounced Re-day-zel), 
with her children, and the wounded officers, found refuge 
during the six days' siege of Burgoyne. This is located 
about a mile north of Fish creek and on high ground to 
the left of the road. It can be reached by electric cars. 
An iron sign marks the place. This house was built by 
Peter Lansing of Albany in 1773, as a farm house. In 
1785 it came into the possession of Samuel Bushee, who 
in turn, sold it to his brother-in-law, Samuel Marshall, 
in 1817. His son, William B. Marshall, repaired and 
altered it somewhat about 1868. He, however, had the 
good taste to leave the lower rooms and cellar, the really 
interesting portions, as they were. 

The Marshalls relate the visit of an old man to the 
house in the early part of this (the nineteenth) century. 
He had not been here since the Revolutionary war, but 
always wanted to come and visit that house. He said that 
he was the gunner that leveled the cannon that bombarded 
the house, that they shot several times before they got the 
range; finally they saw the shingles fly, and then they 
kept it warm for that house and its occupants, as well as 
other points, till Burgoyne showed the white flag. On 
being asked why they fired on women and wounded 
soldiers, he replied that they supposed it to be Burgoyne's 
headquarters. 



372 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Approach to Burgoyne's Pontoon Bridge 

Twelfth : A little to the north of the Marshall house, 
take the road to the east across the Canal bridge to 
the iron bridge that crosses the Hudson to Clark's Mills. 
Stop in the middle of the bridge and a little way to the 
north, on the east side in the rear of Mr. John A. Dix's 
house, you will see a road running diagonally down the 
bank. This was cut by the British as an approach to their 
pontoon bridge, there anchored. This road, together with 
the cut through the bank on the opposite side, locates the 
exact point where Burgoyne and his army crossed the 
Hudson September 13-15, I777- 

Burgoyne's Breastworks 

Thirteenth : Remains of the breastworks thrown up 
by Burgoyne to defend the bridge are to be seen just 
north of Mr. Dix's house, and the board fence which 
starts from the bridge, and runs north to the barn, is built 
on the crest of a portion of those old defenses. 

Furnival's Battery 

Fourteenth : Looking east from this bridge, and a lit- 
tle to the left, are two rounded and bare knolls or hills. 
On the crest of the eastern one Captain Furnival posted 
his battery from which he began the cannonade of the 
Marshall house. 

The Fords and Old Mill Sites 

Fifteenth : Returning to and through Schuylerville, 
place yourself on the bridge that crosses Fish creek, near 
the south end. The stream which this bridge spans 
figures largely in both Colonial and Revolutionary his- 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 373 

tory. It was the south Hne between the British and 
American armies during the siege of Burgoyne. Looking 
down stream the old ford crossed just this side the canal 
aqueduct, or about opposite the Schuyler mansion. 
There the French and Indians crossed on the night of 
November 27, 1745, to the massacre of Saratoga. There 
the armies in Colonial times crossed on their expeditions 
into Canada. There the British army crossed before and 
after the battles, and again after the surrender on Octo- 
ber 17, 1777. A few rods below the bridge on the right 
side of the stream, in a recess in the bank, is the probable 
site of the early sawmill mentioned by the French in their 
story of the massacre of Saratoga, and also the site of 
one of General Schuyler's sawmills burned by Burgoyne. 
On the opposite side or left bank of the creek, just this 
side of the brick grist mill, stood General Schuyler's grist 
mill, also burned by Burgoyne. Turning around to your 
right you observe some cotton mills just above the bridge, 
and to the south of the creek. There stood several of the 
mills of General Schuyler burned by Burgoyne. Here 
was erected the first flax or linen mill in America, put up 
and run by General Schuyler. The tall mill nearest you 
and covered with vines, is the oldest cotton mill in New 
York State. It was erected by Philip Schuyler, 2d, 
in 1828. 

The Several Schuyler Mansions 

Sixteenth : Leaving the bridge we come next to the 
Schuyler mansion, embowered in its grove of ancient 
trees. This was erected by Gen. Philip Schuyler in the 
month of November, 1777. The main house was put up 
in seventeen days by the artisans of Gates' army. This 
house has sheltered as guests, Washington, Alexander 



374 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Hamilton, Gov. George Clinton, and Lafayette, and many 
other notables of our country. It remains substantially 
as General Schuyler left it. Its predecessor was burned 
by General Burgoyne on the nth of October, 1777. That 
house stood about twelve rods southeast of the present 
one. The lilac bushes at the bottom of the excavation 
are the descendants of the ones that stood in the garden 
of mansion No. 2. 

The original house, the one burned by the French and 
Indians at the time of the massacre, stood twenty rods 
directly east of the present one on the bank of the canal. 
That one was built of brick. In it Capt. Philip Schuyler, 
uncle of the general, was shot and a number of other 
occupants perished in the flames. To the east of the canal 
on the flats were the wheat fields set on fire by Mrs. 
General Schuyler to prevent them becoming forage for 
•the British army. 

Where Lovelass, the Spy^ was Executed 

Seventeenth : Retracing your steps to the road near 
the bridge, and looking south you see at a little distance 
a brick house. Back of this house is a gravel hill which 
originally extended to the east across the road. On the 
eastern brink of that hill, as it then was, the noted spy 
Lovelass was hung, on the limb of an oak tree. He was 
buried underneath it in a sitting posture; John Strover 
saw him hung and buried, and told his son George all 
about it. When the Waterford and Whitehall turnpike 
was built this gravel hill was partially dug away. George 
Strover was present and waited until Lovelass' remains 
were unearthed, when he appropriated the skull. This 
gruesome relic is still kept in the Schuyler mansion. 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 375 

The Old Dutch Reformed Church 

Eighteenth : About one-third of a mile south of the 
creek, and in the fork of the River and Victory roads, 
stood the old Dutch Reformed Church. It was built in 
1771. Here after service on the 30th of April, 1775, the 
people of this neighborhood heard the news of Lexing- 
ton and Concord from the lips of General Schuyler. That 
church was used by the British for a hospital. A young 
woman while sitting at one of the north windows was 
shot by an American sharpshooter, and her blood stained 
the floor as long as the building stood. The church was 
damaged a few days later by several cannon balls shot 
from the British batteries. It was afterwards used by 
the Americans as a commissary depot. This church was 
taken down in 1822. 

Forts Saratoga and Clinton 

Nineteenth : Pass down the road a few rods till you 
stand under the rocks, and in front of a small house on the 
hill. Right east of you on the river bank you see the 
site of two, and perhaps four Colonial forts. The last 
two which stood there were the only ones of the eight, 
built in this vicinity, that saw any fighting. The first of 
the two was known as "the fort at Saratoga," and was 
burned by the French on the night of the massacre in 
1745. Without the walls of the last one, or Fort Clinton, 
several bloody and disastrous encounters took place with 
the French and Indians. This fort experienced at least 
one successful mutiny. It was soon after dismantled and 
burned by orders of Gov. George Clinton in October, 
1747. The location of these interesting forts was lost for 
many years, but was discovered by the writer of this book 



376 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

in the spring of 1900. Loose stones and brick-bats 
cover the site of the forts. 

Where Burgoyne Delivered His Sword 

TwENTiETPi : Somewhere between the above men- 
tioned house and the canal bridge, and south of where 
you stand, is the place where Burgoyne went through the 
formal act of surrender by drawing his sword and deliver- 
ing it to General Gates. 

The exact location has been irretrievably lost. The 
tablet that purports to mark the place should probably 
stand several rods to the north. The old road is said 
to have run where the canal now is. 

The Tory and Colonel Van Veghten 

Twenty-first : About ten rods below the canal bridge 
is a little ravine where a Tory waylaid Colonel Van Vegh- 
ten, of Coveville. Screened by some trees he waited till 
the Colonel passed along a-horseback on his way up to 
visit General Schuyler. The Tory had his rifle leveled 
at him, and was about to pull the trigger, when his nerve 
failed him and he allowed the Colonel to pass unharmed. 
He related this incident after the Revolution. 

Remains of Revolutionary Earthworks 

Twenty-second : On the east side of the river, a mile 
or more south of the bridge, on the edge of a high bluff 
facing the south and overlooking a ravine, are some 
breastworks thrown up by the Green Mountain boys 
during the siege of Burgoyne. They are in an almost 
perfect state of preservation, still being breast high. 
They are on the farm now owned by Nathan Corliss. 
These were identified as Revolutionary remains by the 



THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 377 

writer during the summer of 1900, after his attention had 
been called to them by Mr. Robert Coffin, who lives in 
the neighborhood. 

Gates' Headquarters 

Twenty-third : About one and one-third miles below 
Fish creek, on the east side of the road, stands the house 
which was probably used by General Gates as his head- 
quarters from the loth to the 15th of October, 1777, and 
again used by him after the surrender. On the 14th or 
i5tli of October he moved up to the place south of the 
old Dutch Church, where the formal surrender occurred 
on the 17th. The house was enlarged after the Revolu- 
tion and is now owned and occupied by Edward Dwyer, 
who has the good taste to keep the house in its ancient 
form. 

Willard's Mountain 

Twenty-fourth : Looking off to the southeast from 
almost any point in or about Schuylerville one sees a 
mountain about ten miles away. That is Willard's Moun- 
tain; so called from the fact that a Mr. Willard posted 
himself on its top during the advance of Burgoyne, and 
signaled his observations to General Gates. This moun- 
tain is about 1,400 feet above sea level, and affords the 
finest and most extensive view to be had from any point 
within thirty miles from here. 

First Village of Saratoga 

Old Saratoga, destroyed by the French and Indians in 
1745, was situated, mainly, just below the fort marked 
No. 17 on the map. 



378 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Schuylerville is well supplied with excellent hotels and 
well-equipped liveries. Carriage drives hereabouts are un- 
usually numerous and attractive : To the battle-field, two 
ways, 9 miles ; to Saratoga Lake, 9 miles ; to Fort Miller, 
5 miles; to Cossayuna Lake, 12 miles; to the magnifi- 
cent Dianondahowa Falls, 3 miles ; to Greenwich, 5 
miles ; to Bald Mountain, the deserted village, 4 miles, 
and to the top of Willard's Mountain, 12 miles. The 
roads are unusually good. 



38o THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

KEY TO HISTORICAL MAP OF SCHUYLERVILLE 
Arrows radiating from circles point to sites and objects 

1. The Battle Monnment. 

2. Remains of Morgan's intrenchments. 

3. Remains of Burgoyne's fortified camp. 

4. Remains of American earthworks. 

5. Remains of Gates' earthworks. 

6. Place where Burgoyne signed the Capitulation. 

7. Fort Hardy. Arrow points to site of blockhouse that pre- 

ceded it. 

8. Where Burgoyne had most of his artillery massed. 

9. Site of barracks burned by British, afterward rebuilt. 

10. Marshall house, the refuge of Baroness Riedesel and 

wounded officers. 

11. Approach to pontoon bridge, and remains of breastworks. 

12. Furnival's battery, which began the cannonade on Marshall 

house. 

13. Schuyler house, mnis and other buildings. 

14. Where Lovelass was hung. 

15. Site of Old Dutch Reformed Church. 

16. Where Burgoyne delivered his sword to Gates. 

17. Site of Forts Saratoga and Clinton. 

18. Where Gates' floating bridge crossed the river. 

20. Fellows' battery that so greatly annoyed the British. 

21. Traditional site of old blockhouse first described by Kalm. 

22. Where the French and Indians forded the river on their way 

to the destruction of old Saratoga. 

23. "Field of The Grounded Arms." The area enclosed in the 

brace is the ground. 

In the angle of the river and the Battenkill, north of the Kill, 
General Eraser was encamped for a month ; from that point 
Colonel Baum started for Bennington. 



Historical Map 
.« OLD SARATOGA, .* 

I SCHUYLERVILLE) 

JOHN H. BRANDOW. 

From U. S. Gtologicil Survey Mip, Compjtfd vwilh 
Burgoyne's MiliLiry »IVlAp. 




THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 381 

Sources and Literature 

We subjoin herewith a list of the authorities which 
we found especially useful in the preparation of this 
work: 

Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, 
10 Vols. Folio. 

Documentary History of _ New York, 4 Vols. Folio. E. iJ. 
O'Calligan. 

The Sir Wm. Johnson MSS. State Library. 

Journal of the Legislative Council of N. Y. in MSS. Stale 
Library. 

Manuscripts in the Albany Co. Clerk's OfHce, Albany. 

Colonial New York. Geo. W. Schuyler. 

Jesuits of North America. Francis Parkman. ■'-- ' ' 

Travels in North America. Peter Kalm. 

The Colonial Laws of New York. 

Montressor's Journal. N. Y. Historical Society's Col's. Vol. 14. 

The American Lady. Mrs. Grant of Laggan. 

History of Saratoga Co., both editions. N. B. Sylvester. ' 

History of Washington Co.^ N. Y. Johnson. 

Burgoyne's State of the Expedition from Canada. Edition of 
1780. 

. Lieut. Hadden's Journal, annotated by Rogers. 
• Lieut. Digby's Journal. 
■ Capt. Pausch's Journal, annotated by Stone. ■ • 

Memoirs, by Gen. James Wilkinson. 

Diary of Baroness Riedesel. W. L. Stone. 

The Sexagenary, J. P. Becker, edited by D. C. Bloodgood. 

The Clinton Papers. Hugh Hastings. 

Revolutionary Letters. W. L. Stone. 

Field Book of the Revolution. Lossing. 

Travels in North America. Marquis de Chastellux. 

Burgoyne's Campaign and St. Leger's Expedition. W. L. 
Stone. 

Our Country. Lossing. 

The American Revolution. John Fiske. 

History of Lake Champlain. Palmer. 

The Burgoyne Campaign. Charles Neilson. 



382 THE STORY OF OLD SARATOGA 

Battles of Saratoga and History of Saratoga Monument Ass'n. 
Mrs. E. H. Walworth. 

Schuyler MSS. loaned by Miss Fanny Schuyler of Pelham-on- 
Sound, N. Y. 

Schuyler Papers. N. Y. Historical Society Collections, Vol. 12. 

History of Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler. Lossing. 

Major Gen. Philip Schuyler and the Burgoyne Campaign. By 
Gen. J. Watts De Peyster. 

Justice to Schuyler. De Peyster. 

Schuyler and Practical Strategy. De Peyster. 

Border Wars of New York. J. R. Simms. 

A Godchild of Washington. Mrs. C. S. Baxter. 

Reminiscences of Saratoga. W. L. Stone. 

Centennial Fourth of July Oration. Gen. E. F. Bullard. 

Memoir of the Centennial Celebration of Burgoyne's Surrender. 
Stone. 

Records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Saratoga (Schuy- 
lerville). 

Records of the Village of Schuylerville. 

If those who discover errors of fact in this work or 
serious omissions will kindly acquaint the author with 
their discoveries, giving their authority; or should any 
reader chance to know of unpublished historic facts or 
incidents connected with this locality, and worthy of 
preservation, if such will transmit the same to the author 
he will greatly appreciate it, as, somewhat later, he hopes 
to find himself in a position to correct the one and use 
the others. 



INDEX 



PAGE 

A 

Abenaki, Indians 35, 42, 46, 51 

Abercrombie, James, Gen. 

defeated at Ticonderoga 70 

Ackland, Lady Harriet 120 

joins her husband 124, 128 

Ackland, John Dyke, Maj no, in 

wounded 117, 17 5 

Aix-Ia-Chapelle, Treaty of 61 

Albany 

first invasion of Canada from.... 

18, 20, 24 

Mayor and corporation of appeal 
to Gov. Clinton for preservation 

of Fort Clinton 57 

armies rendezvous at 62, 64 

the goal of Burgoyne 74 

Albany county, census of 22 

Albany Gazette, quoted 186 

Albert, Charles, elector of Bavaria. . 30 

Algonquin Indians xviii 

with de Champlain i 

guide de Courcelle against Mo- 
hawks 10 

Allen family, murdered by Indians.. 227 

American flag 

at Fort Anne, footnote jy 

first unfurled to grace a victory. . . 162 

American Wood Board Co 325 

Amherst, Jeffrey, Gen. 

captures Ticonderoga 71 

Ammunition, American, fails.... 77, 103 

Amusements, early 255 

Anne, Queen, of Austria 

kisses mutilated hands of Father 
Jogues 5 

Anthony's Kill 230, 318 

Appalachian, mountains xxii 

Architecture, styles of frontier 248 

Arnold, Benedict, Gen. 

defeated on Lake Champlain 73 

sent to Schuyler's assistance 85 

commands Gates' left wing 98 

assails Fraser loi 



PAGE 
Arnold, Benedict, Gen. 
break between Arnold and Gates. . 108 
rushes into battle without orders.. 112 

assaults Fraser's camp 115 

captures British right defense and 

is wounded 116 

Armstrong, John, Major 112, 116 

Articles of the Convention 152 

Ashley, E 337 

Atagaronche, a chief, appropriates 

white captives 32 

Auriesville, shrine at 6 

B 

Bailey, Gen 129 

Baker & Shevlin, founders 331 

Balcarras, Earl 107, no, in 

Bald mountain 193 

Ballston 

raided by Tories 213 

Washington visits 293 

district of created 318 

Bancroft, George, historian, estimate 

of Pieter Schuyler 21 

Baptist Church 

sketch of 349 

list of pastors 350 

first pastor 350 

Barbour, Simeon, early settler 244 

Barracks, Schuyler's, burned by Bur- 
goyne 281 

Bateaumen, woes of Burgoyne's. . . . 123 

Battenkill, the, mentioned 

9, 66, 88, 127, 129, 184, 230 

Battle well, the old 172 

Battles participated in by the 77th 

N. Y 224 

Battle of Saratoga 

ist day's 98-102 

2nd day's 109-117 

why a decisive battle 165 

Baum, Col. 

at Bennington 87 

shot 88, 192 



38- 



Index 



PAGE 

Beauvais, M 33. 35 

shoots Capt. Ph. Schuyler 36, 267 

Becker's fort 183 

Becker's mill 783 

Becker, John P. 

the Sexagenary 182, 185, 187 

adventure with cannon shot 202 

Becker, Peter 183, 184 

saves Dutch church 200, 262, 342 

Bees, logging, husking, etc 255, 256 

Bemis, Fothem, early settler 247 

Bemis Heights 97, 108, 125 

Bemis Heights Battalion 221 

Bennett, George H 334 

Bennett, Horace 334 

Bennett, James 334 

Bennington, battle of 87, 192 

Bethlehem, N. Y... 182, 190 

Bird, Joseph, yields his tent to Lady 

Ackland 125 

Blandy, I. C 335. 337 

Blandy Pulp and Paper Co 335 

Block-house, a 

at Saratoga .....18, 23, 28 

life of such a fort 29 

description of a, footnote 29 

an unknown 68 

Blood, Lieut 39 

Bloodgood, S. Dewitt 186 

Bloomfield, Major 148 

Board of Domestic Missions of Re- 
formed church, origin of 342 

Boiler, fatal explosion of a 332 

Boston, siege of 73 

Bourdon, Sieur, companion of Father 

Jogues S 

Braddock, Edward, Gen 61 

Breyman, Col 88 

with Fraser 99 

saves FVaser's brigade loi 

holds right defenses of Burgoyne's 

camp 106 

shot 116 

Breyman's hill 115, 173 

Bridge 

Fraser throws one across Hudson, 92 

Gates' floating 138 

first across Fish creek 316 



PAGE 

Bridge 

across the Hudson 317, 328 

Brisbin, James, early settler 245 

Brisbin, James I., early settler 244 

British army 

size of Burgoyne's 75 

number of men surrendered 164 

fate of 168 

Brothers Maguire, recognize each 

othei* 204 

Brown, Joseph, early settler, quoted, 7 

Brudenell, Chaplain 121, 125 

Brunswickers 1 06, 1 1 6 

Bullard, C. M 333 

Bullard, D. A 333 

Bullard, D. A., 2d 333 

Bullard, Edward F., Gen., quoted 

265, 318 

Bull Run, battle of 220 

Bunker Hill 73 

47th British regiment fought at... 107 
Burgoyne, John, Gen. 

commissioned to lead expeditio.1 

against Albany 74 

make-up and size of his army 75 

captures Ticonderoga 76 

at Skenesborough 82 

moves down the Hudson 87 

delayed by Bennington 92 

crosses the Hudson 93 

leads his center into battle 99 

countermands orders to renew bat- 
tle 103 

fortifies at Freeman's farm 106 

attempting to reconnoiter Gates' 

position, is attacked 109-112 

personal bravery of iiS 

withdraws from his camp 119 

unwisdom of, shown 120 

describes Fraser's burial 122 

orders retreat 122 

commends Lady Ackland to Gates, 126 
spends a night in Schuyler man- 
sion 128, 280 

fortifies Heights of Saratoga 131 

finds himself surrounded 138 

narrow escape 140 

sues for an armistice 149 



Index 



385 



PAGE 

Burgoyne, John, Gen. 

signs the capitulation iS7 

delivers his sword 164 

apologizes to Schuyler 164 

burns Schuyler's buildings 281 

his experiences in Albany 2 10-2 11 

returns to England 169 

Burgoyne, elbow room for in Al- 
bany 210 

Burgoyne's horses, capture of several 

of 203 

C 

Camp, American, 

at Bemis Heights 97 

British, at Freeman's farm 106 

at Saratoga 131 

Canada i, 3. 10, 12 

first invasions of proposed, 17, m, 24, 21; 

proposed invasion of 45 

conquered by England 71 

invaded by Americans 73 

Canadians 106 

Canal, building of Champlain, and 

its effect upon Schuylerville . . . . 325 

Cannon 

mounted at Saratoga 81 

search for at Saratoga 212 

Carleton, Sir Guy 74 

Carqueville, Sieur de 46 

Carpets, when introduced in rural 

districts 252 

Carroll, Charles, of Carrollton, visits 

Schuylerville 275 

Champlain, Samuel de, discovers the 

lake, and defeats the Iroquois.. i 

Champlain, Lake 2, 17 

Arnold defeated on 73 

mentioned 74, 188 

battle of 218 

Chase, Samuel, signer of Declaration 

of Independence, visits Saratoga 275 

Chatfield, Asa, early settler 247 

Chazy, Sieur de, murdered by Iro- 
quois II 

Cherry Valley 26 

Chews, Lieut., captured at Fort Clin- 
ton 48 



PAGE 

Chubb's bridge 138, 214 

Church, Reformed 132, 183 

saved from torch 200 

commissary depot 212 

news of Lexington received at. . . . 261 

history of 338 

Church, character of early services.. 255 
Church of Notre Dame de Lourdes, 

sketch of 357 

Church of the Visitation 

sketch of 356 

list of pastors and erection of pres- 
ent edifice 357 

Chryslers Fields, battle of mentioned 209 

Cilley, Col 100, III 

Clark,'s Mills 87, 129, 192 

Cleary, F 337 

Clemments, Albert, 

lays out Schuylerville 326 

quoted 342 

Clerke, Sir Francis 117, 177 

Clinton, George, Colonial Governor, 
reports to the Lords of Trade on 

the fort at Saratoga 29 

orders withdrawal of garrison at 

Saratoga 39 

characterized 41 

orders destruction of Fort Clinton S9 
Clinton, Fort 

built 42 

shadowed by the French 42-43 

extent of its armament 44 

attacked 45-48 

mutiny at 57 

destroyed 59 

location of discussed 48-53 

Clinton, George, Revolutionary Gov- 
ernor visits Saratoga 293 

Clinton, Sir Henry 103, 150 

Cloth, how made and dyed by the 

fathers 252 

Clute, one, discovers brass howitzer 

in river at Saratoga 213 

Cohoes, falls of 235 

Cokeley, John, receives farm from 

Gen. Schuyler 313 

Colburn, Lieut. Col., his morning 

scout 98 



25 



386 



Index 



PAGE 

Congreve, report quoted 24 

Connor, Tom, receives Gen. Wash- 
ington 294 

Convention of Saratoga, Articles of, 152 
Convers, Sergeant, at Fort Saratoga, 34 

Cooking, primitive modes of 250 

Cornbury, Gov. Lord 23, 230, 232 

Cornwallis, Lord 73 

Coulter, George, early settler 247 

Courcelle, Samuel de Remi, Sieur de, 
leads a force against the Mohawks, 10 

fails, why? 11 

Couture, 

captured with Father Jogues 3 

adopted by the Mohawks 4 

Coveville 94, 123, 321 

Cramer, Conrad, early settler. . .243, 265 
Cramer, John, noted lawyer, born... 265 

Crandall, C. H., poet, quoted 167 

Craw, David, & Co., founders 331 

Creasy, E. S., quoted 165 

Cross, a Mr., early settler 245 

Crown Point 17 

French fortify it 28, 31 

menaced 60 

expedition against 61, 65 

captured 71 

Cruger, John, Schuyler writes to. . . . 260 



D 



Danfortli, George L., quoted 183 

Davis, George, early settler, his horse 

trade 244 

Dean's Corners 320 

Dearborn, Major.. 100, no, 112, 125, 175 

Declaration of Independence 73 

Decisive battle, why Saratoga was a, 165 

Deerfield, Mass., destroyed 24 

De Luze, Charles 309 

Denonville, Gov., of Canada, impol- 
icy of 12 

De Peyster, Gen. J. Watts 105 

quoted 155, 276 

De Ridders, the 242 

De Ridder, Garrett 234, 242 

De Ridder, Killaen 63 

man scalped in his garden, 66, 242, 338 



PAGE 

De Warm, Jacob, Capt 17 

Di-an-on-da-howa, Indian name for 

the Battenkill 9, 230 

Dieskau, Baron 62, 67 

Digby, Lieut 88 

quoted 161, 167 

Dishes, what served the fathers for. . 251 

District of Saratoga created 317 

Dix, John A 92, 336, 372 

Dog, gagged by a garter 215 

Dongan, Gov 229 

Dorchester Heights, seized by Wash- 
ington 78, 263 

Douglas, John, early storekeeper. . . . 320 

Dovegat 94, 123, 234, 321 

Drainage, peculiar, of New York. . . xxii 
Drummond, Rev. first pastor of 

Dutch Reformed church 338 

Duane, James, Schuyler writes to... 260 

Duer's, William, house 93 

Dunham, Hezekiah, Capt 216, 244 

Dunham's Hill, early place of busi- 
ness 320 

Du Quesne, Fort 61 

Dutch Reformed Church 132, 183 

saved from torch 200 

commissary depot 212 

news of Lexington received at.... 261 

young woman killed in 341 

history of church 338 

new chtirch 347 

list of pastors 349 

Dwyer house. Gates' headquarters... 133 



Earthworks, remains of 367-369, 376 

Easton, formerly part of Saratoga. . . 318 
Edward, Fort, 

named 62 

mentioned 66, 67 

Eel weir, at Grangerville 321 

Electric railroad 337 

Elm, surrender, location of 370 

English Revolution of 1688 14 

Ensign, Ezekiel 179, 197, 246 

Episcopal Church, sketch of 354 



Index 



387 



PAGE 

F 

Farming tools, primitive 254 

Farmers with teams impressed 262 

Fellows, Gen 126 

narrow escape 127, 129 

his force augmented 130 

his batteries annoy Burgoyne 139 

Ferry, De Ridder's 317 

Findley, J. H 337 

Fires, hdw started, borrowing fire, 

etc 251 

Fiske, John, historian, estimate of 

Ph. Schuyler 91 

Fish creek 

why so named 8 

part of Saratoga trail, 9, 13, 36, 46, 127 

British wade 130 

again 159 

Fishery at Saratoga 240 

Fitzmaurice, Lord Edmund, tells why 
Sir William Howe failed to 

receive his orders 1 04 

Five Nations, their conquests xxiii 

Flatts, a Schuyler homestead 18 

J^light of the inhabitants 189, 264 

Footwear, early, how made 253 

Forbes, Major 100, 172 

Ford at Saratoga 24, 25 

utmost military post at 26, 64 

Fort Anne xxi, 24, 25 

burned 26 

battle of 77 

Fort Clinton 

built 42 

destroyed 59, 375 

location of 49, 379 

Fort Edward xxi, 24, 31 

named 62 

mentioned 66, 67 

brick yards at 68 

mentioned 71 

no fort at during Revolution 85 

Burgoyne's army camped at 93 

defended 130, 237 

Fort George 

built 67 

Schuyler dismantles, etc 81 

Fort Hardy 49 



PAGE 

Fort Hardy 

built 67 

location of 370 

Fort Herkimer, lock at 301 

Fort Independence 76 

Fort Ingoldsby 24 

Fort Miller 32, 87, 2S7 

Fort Neilson 97, 102, 177 

Fort Nicholson 24 

burned 26, 32, 237 

Fort Orange, a trading post 2, 46 

Fort at Saratoga 

mentioned 18, 23, 24 

built 28 

another built 29 

destroyed 37 

rebuilt 41 

location of 375 

Fort Schuyler 74 

relieved by Arnold 86 

Fort William Henry 

built 63 

captured 65 

Franklin, Benjamin, visits Saratoga, 275 
Eraser, Simon, Brigadier General... 87 
crosses the Hudson and returns. . . 92 
leads right wing of Burgoyne's 

army in first battle 99, no 

forms second line in battle of Oct. 

7th, is shot 114 

death and funeral of 121-122 

where he was shot 174 

his grave 179 

Freeman's farm too, 170 

Freeman, Isaac, owner of battle- 
ground 247 

French, David B., starts foundry. . . 331 
French, Col. W. B., of 77th N. Y. . . 223 

quoted 224 

Frontenac, Count de 

starts expeditions against English 

colonies 14 

plans paralyzed by Pieter Schuy- 
ler 20 

attempts to exterminate the Mo- 
hawks 22 

Fulling mill 330 



388 



Index 



Furnival, Capt. 

plants battery north of Battenkill. . 129 
location of 372 



Gates, Horatio, Major Gen. 

Intrigues against Schuyler 79 

supersedes Gen. Schuyler 89 

advances against Burgoyne 97 

attacks Burgoyne 100 

breaks with Arnold 108 

orders an attack no 

his lack of spirit, and argument 
with prisoner during heat of 

battle 1 18-1 19 

graciously receives Lady Ackland.. 125 
orders Gen. Fellows up to Sara- 
toga 126 

pursues Burgoyne to Saratoga.... 132 

location of his headquarters 133 

orders an attack on British camp. . 133 

withdraws his men 135 

his behavior at Camden, S. C 136 

decides on a regular siege 136 

hastens Burgoyne's signature of 

capitulation 151 

receives formal surrender of Bur- 
goyne 158-164 

issues a humane order 161 

allows Schuyler use of army me- 
chanics 284 

his army after Saratoga 169 

General Training, described 256 

George III., King 62, 74, 113. 

George, Lake 

discovered 3 

named S 

renamed 62, 70 

Germaine, Lord George 

why he failed to send orders to 

Sir Wm. Howe 104 

Gilbert, Paul J 337 

Glaciers, their action xxi 

Glover, General, sent to Schuyler's 

assistance 85, 114, 134 

Goodale, Nathan, Capt., a scout, 

captures party of British 134 



PAGE 

Gordon, Col., kidnapped 213 

Goupil, companion of Father Jogues, 

murdered 4 

Grangerville 320 

Grant, Mrs., of Lagan, quoted 239 

Great Carrying place 24, 54, 62 

Green, Capt., took refuge in Mar- 
shall house 144 

Great Redoubt on the hill 106, 173 

assaulted by Arnold 115 

Great Redoubt at the river 106 

Fraser's burial place 120 

Green, William, early settler 243 

Green Mountain Boys 88, 376 

Greenwich 24, 185 

Grist mills 321, 331, 334 

Guide to battle-field 1 69 

Guide to Schuylerville 367 

Guiles, Daniel, early settler 245 

H 

Half-moon 23 

district of created 318 

Hallam, historian, quoted 165 

Hamilton, Brigadier Gen., British 

107, 128, 280 

Hamilton, Alexander 272, 293, 302 

Hardin, Lieut., adventure of 200 

Hardy, Gov 63, 67 

Hardy, Fort 49 

built 67 

location of 370 

Harnage, Major, and wife 144 

Harrington, J. P 332 

Haverhill, Mass., destroyed 24 

Headquarters 

Morgan and Poor 177 

'Gates 133, 177 

Heights of Saratoga. .. .Preface, 130, 157 

Helling, William, Capt 29, 52 

Hendrick, King 53 

quoted 62 

Herbin, Lieut., strikes blow near 

Saratoga 43 

Herbs, medicinal, preservation of.... 253 

Herkimer, Gen 86 

Hessians, described 206 



Index 



389 



PAGE 

Hill, Col., British, pursues fugitives 

to Fort Anne 77 

High Rock Spring 292 

Washington visits it 293 

Hitchcock, A. W 336 

Holland renders financial aid 166 

Horicon Mill 150 

Hough, historian, quoted 7 

Howe, Lord 65 

killed 70 

Howe, Sir Wm 74 

why he failed to co-operate with 

Burgoyne 104 

Hubbardton, battle of 76, 124 

Hudson, Hendrick, discovers and ex- 
plores the river which bears his 

name 2 

Hudson and Champlain valleys, their 

character xxi 

Hunter, Gov., speaks of Gen. Nichol- 
son 25 

Hunter, John 302 

I 

Indians, Burgoyne's, appear at Sara- 
toga 188 

Ingalls, Charles R., Justice 185 

Ingoldsby, fort 24 

Iroquois, or Five Nations, wage suc- 
cessful wars against all native 

tribes xxiii 

a party of defeated by Champlain . . i 
they capture Father Jogues and 

party 3 

declare war against the French. ... 12 

allegiance retained for English.... 20 

refrain from war in New York. ... 24 

Irving, Washington, quoted 292 

J 

James II., King 14, 16 

Jogues, Father Isaac 

captured by the Iroquois, discovers 

Lake George 3 

escapes 4 

peace commissioner to the Mohawks s 

murdered 6 



PAGE 

Johnson, Sir William 39, 44 

letter to concerning attack on Fort 

Clinton 54 

leads expedition against Crown 

Point 61 

defeats Dieskau 62, 65 

Johnson, Sir John 182 

Jones, Capt., killed 102 

Jones, Britisii surgeon, leg shot off 

in Marshall house 143 

Jordan, Capt., at Fort Clinton 44 

Jordan, Mrs. Thomas, her story 191 

Jordan, Thomas 191, 243 

K 

K, Co., of the 77th N. Y. S. V 222 

Kalm, Peter, naturalist 

describes fort at Saratoga 49, 52 

his version of attack on Fort Clin- 
ton 55 

quoted 235-236 

Kayadrosseras trail, described 9 

de Tracy takes it against Mohawks 

12, 17, 22 

Kennedy, A. J., superintendent 331 

Kieft, colonial Gov., charitable to 

Father Jogues 4 

Kingsley, Charles, quoted 105 

Kingston, N. Y., destroyed by British 150 
Kingston, Major Robert, mediates be- ■ 

tween Burgoyne and Gates 149 

Knute, Capt., bateau service 202 

Koons, Jacob, adventure of 208 

Koons, John W., contributes sketch. . 209 
Kosciusko, Thaddeus, Polish engineer 

lays out camp at Moses Creek 85 

lays out Gates' camp at Bemis 
Heights 97 



Lac St. Sacrament, first name of 

Lake George 5, 22, 26 

a winter highway 188 

Lansing, Peter, builder of Marshall 

house 24s 

Lapham, W. J 337 



39° 



Index 



PAGE 

Laprairie 19 

Lawrence, a Mr., runs woolen mill 

at Schuylerville 330 

Learned, Gen.... 102, no, 115, 134, 135 

Lease, a typical 246 

Leggett, Gabriel and Isaac, early set- 
tlers 247 

Leisler, Lieut. Gov 16 

Lewis, Morgan, Col 160 

Lespenard, Antonie 231 

Lexington, battle of 73, 259 

how long the news of was in reach- 
ing Saratoga 260 

Liberty pole, first 259 

Liberty Wall Paper Co 336 

Lincoln, Abraham 220 

Lincoln, Gen 89, 98 

wounded 120 

Lining out hymns 343 

Little Falls, N. Y., locks at 301 

Livingston, Col. Brockholst 108 

Livingston, Henry, Capt., command- 
ant at Saratoga 43 

Livingston, Ph., builds fort at Sara- 
toga .• 28, 52 

Livingston, Philip, promises bell for 

Saratoga church 339 

Log houses, how built 250 

Logging bees 255 

Long, Col 76 

at battle of Fort Anne 77 

Long Island, battle of 73 

Lossing, Benson J., historian, quoted 

133. 191 

Lottery to pay church debts 344 

Lovelass, Thomas, the spy 215, 266 

where executed 374 

Lydius, John H 31 

house used as a corral 32, 44 

Lyman, Phineas, Gen 62 

Lyman, Fort 62 

M 

Macdonough's victory 218 

Maguires, romance of the 204 

Manufactures at Schuylerville 330 

Marathon, battle of, referred to.... 165 



Maria Theresa • ■ • 30 

Marin, M., leads expedition against 

old Saratoga 31, 35, 50 

Marshall, Abraham, early settler, 191, 243 

Marshall house 93 

cannonaded 130 

again 139, 143 

Marshall, Samuel 371 

Massachusetts, Fort 42 

Matoon, Gen 129, 160 

Mayhew, C. W 332 

McCarty, John, early settler 246 

McComb, Gen 218 

McCrea, Jane, murdered 83, 277 

McKean, James B., Col 220 

retires from army 222 

Medicinal herbs, preserved 253 

Megapolensis, Dominie, assists Father 

Jogues to escape 4 

Merrill, C. S., M. D 325 

Methodist Episcopal church 

sketch of 351 

the itinerant preacher 352 

list of pastors 353 

Middleburg, N. Y., attack on 182 

Middle Ravine, line between Gates 

and Burgoyne 

98, 99, loi, 106, no, 17s 

Mill creek 97 

Milling, etc 254, 334 

Mineral springs 291, 320 

Mission La Presentation 31 

Mohawk valley, gateway to the west xxij 
Mohawks, embassage of Father Jogues 

to the 5, II, 16, 22 

Monroe, Col., defends Fort William 

Henry 65 

Montcalm, Gen. 

captures Fort William Henry 65 

at Ticonderoga 70 

Morris, Robert, Revolutionary finan- 
cier 261 

Montgomery, James, Gen 73, 263, 274 

Montigny, Sieur de 42 

Montreal 19, 24 

captured by Montgomery 73 

Montressor, James, Col., royal engi- 
neer, builds Fort Hardy 67 



Index 



391 



PAGE 

Morgan, Daniel, Col. 

reports to Gates 90 

opens battle of 19th September. ... 100 
outflanks the British in battle of 

October 7th iii 

orders Fraser shot 114 

rejects Gates' overtures, footnote.. 118 
leads in attack on Heights of Sara- 
toga 134 

returned to Gen. Washington. .169, 175 
Moses creek, Kosciusko lays out 

camp at 85 

Mount Defiance, captured by British 

76, 78, 8s 

Munro, Col., raids Ballston 213 

Murphy, Timothy, shoots Gen. Fraser 

114, 174 

N 

Napoleon Bonaparte, his dictum 

quoted 100 

Negro slaves at Saratoga 240, 300 

Neilson, Fort 97, 112, 177 

Neilson house, headquarters of Mor- 
gan and Poor 98, 177 

Neilson, Charles, quoted 196, 199 

Neilson, John, his adventure with 

Indian 196, 247 

Nelson, John, reports Pieter Schuy- 
ler's exploit 21 

Nicholson, Fort 24, 26 

Nicholson, Francis, Gen 25, 26 

Nipissing Indians 35, 46 

Nixon, Gen., joins Schuyler 74, 134 

O 

Old Glory yy, 162 

Orange, Fort, original name of Al- 
bany 2, 46 

Orange, river of, French name of 

the Hudson 46 

Oriskany, battle of 86 

P 

Parsonage, old 345 

Patent, the Saratoga 229 



Patterson, Gen 135 

Patterson, Sherman, early settler. . . 245 

Pausch, Capt 102, no 

Pelham-on-Sound, N. Y 309 

Peninsular campaign 222 

Pewter plates, etc 251 

Phillips, Major Gen 

76, 93, 99, 123, 129, 158 

Picket, British, captured by young 

farmers 199 

Picquet, Abbe Francois, chaplain to 

M. Marin 31, 53 

Pioneers, their contributions to hu- 
mane progress 249 

Plattsburg, victory at 218 

Pontoon bridge 

at Saratoga 92 

at Wilbur's Basin 106, 372 

Poor, Gen 98, no, 175 

Powers, J. D 325 

Press of Schuylerville 359 

Prisoners, number surrendered at 

Saratoga 164 

Prospect hill 135, 151 

Providence, how, aided the Ameri- 
cans los 

Putnam's regiment 134 

Pyrrhus' victory, referred to 102 



Q 



Ouackenboss, Col 212 

Quaker Springs 

road 99, 169 

origin of village 320 

Quebec 

founded by Champlain i 

Courcelle starts from against the 

Iroquois 10 

mentioned 21, 24 

captured 71 

mentioned 209 



R 



Railroads, advent of 328 

Receipts, Revolutionarjf, for property 

taken unredeemed 266 



392 



Index 



PAGE 

Regiment, 77th N. Y. S. V. 

how it received its name 221 

battles of 224 

Regulars, British, first appearance at 

Saratoga 25 

Revolution, American, causes of the 

war of 72 

Revolution, English, of 1688 14 

its effect on the colonies 15 

Reynels, Lieut., killed at Saratoga. . 144 

Riedesel, Baroness 121, 128 

relates her experiences in Marshall 

house 140-149 

extols Gen. Ph. Schuyler 150 

entertained by Mrs. Gen. Schuyler 211 

Riedesel, Gen 

....93, 94, 99. T07, no, 123, 138, 158 

saves the day to Burgoj'ne 102 

Roads 

first military road built 25 

same mentioned 32 

repaired by Sir William Johnson.. 63 

Burgoyne clears road at Fort Anne 82 

early roads 315 

Roberts, J., Col., reports mutiny at 

Fort Clinton to Gov. Clinton. ... 57 

Rockwell, John R., captain Co. K... 222 

Rogers, James, early settler 192 

Rogers. Thomas L., contributes sketch 

footnote 193 

Rutherford, Capt. John 39 

Ryswick, treaty of 22 

S 

Saratoga 

different spelling of word 6 

to what applied, and significance 

of word 7 

basis of its historic importance.... 9 

route of French to Schenectady. . 15 

a blockhouse at 18 

Pieter Schuyler at 20 

mentioned 23, 25, 26 

the village of, doomed 31 

described 33 

massacre of 35-38 

number of people killed at 38 



PAGE 

Saratoga 

a solitude 59 

another fort at 66 

after the surrender 211 

location of primitive village 233 

condition of described by Kalm... 236 

restored by Philip Schuyler 237 

cannon mounted at 81 

occupied by Gen. Fellows 126 

occupied by Burgoyne 131 

garrison at 290 

Saratoga, battle of 

first day's 98-102 

second day's 109-117 

why a decisive battle 165 

Saratoga county 

erected 318 

the district of, erected 317 

Saratoga Lake 

by whom discovered , 4 

Indian weirs at 8 

Saratoga, name of Macdonough's flag- 
ship 218 

Saratoga Monument 363 

first monument association 361 

laying corner-stone of 363 

description of 364 

view from 365 

Saratoga trail, taken by de Cour- 

celle II 

mentioned 20 

Saratoga Springs 221 

welcomes return of 77th 225 

first spring discovered 291 

first road to 292 

how the Springs got the name 318 

Sarver, Harry D 336 

Saw-mills at Saratoga 36, 68, 237 

one escaped Burgoyne 282 

location of early 369 

Schaghticoke Indians 32, 232, 234 

Schenectady 

succors de Courcelle 11 

massacre of 14-17 

mentioned 20, 23, 26 

Schoharie 182, 184 

Schools 
sketch of 358 



Index 



393 



Schools 
the old Academy and the Union 

Free school 359 

Schuyler, Abram, Capt., sent on 

scout 17 

Schuyler, Mrs. Catherine 

birth and marriage 270 

description of her person 271 

her children 271 

heroism of 277 

burns the wheatfields 279 

receives Gen.Burgoyne and suite.. 211 

Schuyler, Fanny 306 

Schuyler, Grace 307 

Schuyler, Johannes 

leads first military expedition into 

Canada 19, 26, 28 

name appears in Saratoga Patent. . 230 

buys out Abraham Wendel 232 

erects house at Saratoga 267 

Schuyler, John Bradstreet 272, 294 

marries 299 

receives the Saratoga homestead 

from his father 297 

trustee of Williams College and 

member of Assembly 302 

dies 301 

Schuyler, Pieter, mayor of Albany; 
leads 2nd successful expedition 

into Canada 20-21, 24, 26, 316 

Schuyler, Col. Peter, of N. J. 

commands at Fort Clinton 56 

burns the fort 59 

Schuyler, Philip, Capt 27, 34 

shot 36, 40, 267 

Schuyler, Philip, Col. (cousin to the 

General) 41 

Schuyler, Philip, Major-General 

his birth, marriage, etc 270 

appointed captain 63 

leaves the service 65, 70, 75 

builds country mansion at Sara- 
toga 238, 269 

builds the iirst linen mill in Amer- 
ica 238 

wise treatment of employees 241 

delegate to provincial assembly... 259 

to Continental Congress 260 



PAGE 

Schuyler, Philip, Major-General 

appointed Major General 274 

supervises expedition against Can- 
ada 73 

his connection with loss of Ticon- 

deroga 78 

blocks Burgoyne's advance 80 

narrow escape from Indian 276 

retreats from Fort Edward 85-86 

to mouth of Mohawk 87 

sends Arnold to relief of Fort 

Schuyler 86 

relieved by Gen. Gates 89 

estimates of his character 91 

collects ammunition for Gates' 

army 103 

Burgoyne burns his buildings 133 

present at the surrender 158 

courtesy of, to Baroness Riedesel 160 

Burgoyne apologizes to 164 

mentioned approvingly 191 

entertains Burgoyne and his suite 211 

has a body guard 212 

what the Revolution cost him.... 260 

neighbors' opinion of him 261 

his magnanimity 282 

rebuilds at Saratoga 284 

Washington urges him to reassume 
command of Northern Depart- 
ment 291 

builds first road to Saratoga 

Springs 291 

builds first cottage at Saratoga 

Springs 292 

writes a notable letter to his son. . 29s 

narrow escape from Tories 313 

interested in canals 301 

contributes to the church 338 

Schuyler, Philip, 2nd 

birth 300 

marries 302 

inherits Saratoga estate 302 

promoter of canals, erects cotton- 
mill 304 

receives visit from Lafayette 306 

consul to Liverpool 308 

Schuyler, Ruth 287 

Schuyler's Flats 181, 184, 189 



394 



Index 



Schuyler Mansion 

No. I, built 267 

location of 269 

burned 36, 267 

Mansion No. II., built 269 

Burgoyne's carouse in 280 

burned 281 

Mansion No. III., built 284 

described 285-289 

falls to John B. Schuyler 297 

to Philip Schuyler, 2nd 302 

harbors Lafayette 306 

purchased by George Strover .... 310 
Schuylerville 

why historic xxi 

the first who saw its site 6 

why historically important 9 

de Courcelle leads expedition 
against Mohawks by way of.. 11, 15 

a thunderous arena 139, 156 

raises a company in civil war.... 222 

welcomes return of Co. K 225 

description of early 323 

earliest settlers on village site.... 324 

helped by the canal 325 

town site laid out 326 

becomes a shipping point 326 

incorporated 326 

first fire department 327 

cows and swine warned off the 

streets 328 

gets a railroad 329 

Guide to 367 

Schuylerville Paper Co 332 

Searle's Ferry 179 

Seeleyville, footnote 203 

Settlers, first permanent 242 

Seventy-seventh regiment, N. Y. 

S. V 221 

Sexagenary, the 

story from quoted 66 

who was he i8o-i88 

quoted -200-204, 205, 212, 213 

about the news of Lexington 261 

helps transport captured cannon . . 263 
Seymour, Horatio, Gov., quoted.... 91 
Shefiield, Mass., militia from, desert 202 
Shelburne, Lord 104 



Shepherd, David, early settler 247 

Shirley, Gov., commands expedition 

against Niagara 61 

Simms, Jeptba R., quoted 210 

Skene, Col 82 

Skenesborough (Whitehall) y6 

Americans burn it 77, 125 

Slade place, home of the Sexagenary i8i 

Slaves at Saratoga 240, 300 

Smith, Thomas, early settler 247 

Smith, William, historian, quoted... 338 

Smithville 316 

origin of 323 

Soldier's wife, the brave 146 

rewarded 149 

Sons of Liberty, origin of 259 

Speht, Lieut. Col 116 

Springs, mineral 291, 320 

St. Clair, Arthur, Gen. 

commands at Ticonderoga 75 

blamed for its loss yj 

joins Schuyler 84 

St. Frederic, Fort 28, 38 

St. Helene, la Moyne de 14 

St. Ledger, Barry, Lieut. Col 74 

abandons siege of Fort Schuyler. . 86 
St. Luc, La Corne, leads attack on 

Fort Clinton 4S-48, 50, 55, 88 

St. Ours, M. de 36, 46 

Staats, Lieut. Jochem 232 

Stamp Act 72, 259 

Stampede of inhabitants 81, 189 

Stark, John, Gen. 

at Bennington 88 

at Saratoga 136, 192 

condemns the spy Lovelass 217 

State Dam 32, 237 

Stevens', George T., history of the 

77th, referred to 223 

Stevens, major of artillery 132 

Stillwater 

mentioned 18, 20, 24, 64 

Gen. Schtiyler begins to fortify at 86 

Gates begins to fortify at 97 

Stone, W. L., historian, quoted.... 204 

Store, first in the town 319 

Stoves, introduction of into churches 343 
Strover, George, Col 217, 285 



Index 



395 



PAGE 

Strover, George, Col. 

buys Schuyler mansion 310, 374 

Strover, John, Revolutionary scout 

215, 217, 244 

Sturgeon, how caught by the Indians 236 

Surrender elm, location of 370 

Surrender, where the formal, took 

place 376 

Surrender, grief of the British sol- 
diers because of 161 

Sutherland, Lieut. Col 127 

reconnoiters toward Fort Edward.. 131 

Swart, Dirck 86 

Swart, Jacobus, early settler 245 

Sword's house 95, 99 

location of 179, 246 

T 

Table furnishings, primitive 252 

Tailoring, primitive 252 

Taylor, John, early settler 246 

Ten Broeck, Gen 114 

Ticonderoga 28, 62 

battle at 70 

captured by Amherst 71 

by Ethan Allen 73 

by Burgoyne y6 

thought impregnable yj 

cannon captured at, transported to 

Boston 263 

Tissiook 344 

Thomas, A. C 332 

Thompson Pulp and Paper Co 334 

Tories 214, 259 

raids of 264, 291 

Tracy, Marquis de, leads party 

against the Mohawks 11-12 

Trails, the Kayadrosseras, and Sara- 
toga trails described 9 

Traveling, early modes of 257 

Trondsen, D. C 336 

Tubbs, John, receives farm for his 

bravery 313 

Tyler, John, President 309 

U 

Union Village 185 

Utrecht, treaty of 26, 28 



PAGE 

V 

Valley of Champlain — Hudson xxi 

Van Curler, Arendt, aids Father 

Jogues' escape 4 

Vandenburg, IT 178, 189, 246 

Van Dyke, Lieut. Col 212 

Van Rensselaer, Col., at Battle of 

Fort Anne 77 

Van Rensselaer, Stephen, Patroon 

299, 301, 311 

Van Veghten, Col. Cornelius 183 

narrow escape 214, 216, 245 

mills 321, 342 

Van Veghten, Herman 319, 321 

Van Veghten, Walter, footnote 133 

Varick, Richard, Col 108, 211, 282 

Vernor, J., early settler 246 

Victory, village of 13, 191 

why so named 322 

Victory Manufacturing Co 331 

Vrooman, Bartel 

first settler at Saratoga 18, 23 

people killed at house of 232 

fort built about his house 232 

W 

Walker, John, early settler 247 

Walloomsac 192 

War, Queen Anne's 23, 27, 233 

War, King George's 30, 61 

War, King William's. .. .22, 23, 27, 232 
War, Seven Years, or French and 

Indian 61-72 

Ward, John, Gen. Schuyler gives him 

a farm 313 

Warner, Seth, Col 88 

Washington, George, Gen 61 

besieges Boston, loses Long Island, 
regains New Jersey at Trenton 

and Princeton 73 

reinforces Schuyler 85 

and Gates 90 

advises retention of Burgoyne's 

army 168 

at Dorchester Heights 263 

visits Schuylerville and Saratoga 

Spa 293 

Waterloo, battle of, referred to...,, 165 



396 



Index 



PAGE 

Webb, Daniel, Gen 65 

Webster, Daniel, his estimate of Ph. 

Schuyler Qi 

Webster, a Mr., early settler 245 

Welch, Joseph, early settler, his ad- 
ventures 193 

Weed, J. L., gives signiiicance of 

Saratoga 7 

Weir, eel, at Grangerville 321 

Wendel, Johannes, original owner 

in Saratoga Patent 230 

Westerlo, Eilardus, Dominie 342 

Whitehall 18, 26, 325 

Wife, the brave, of German soldier 

146, 149 

Wilbur's Basin. .97, 99, 119. 123. 169. 246 

Wilbur, E. R i73, 248 

Wilbur, Thomas and Fones, early 

settlers 246 

Wilkinson, James, Col. 

Gates' adjutant -.no, iiS 

his description of battle field.... 

117, 120, 128 

quoted 132 

again i34. I3S 

mediates surrender i49; i57 

quoted 158 



PAGE 

Wilkinson, James, Col. 

describes meeting of Burgoyne and 

Gates 158, 17s 

quoted 200 

Williams, Major no, m 

William Henry, Fort 

built 63 

captured 6S 

mentioned 7° 

Willard's Mountain i79. 377 

William and Mary of England 14, 16 

Winne, Killaen 297 

Winslow, John, Gen 64 

Winthrop, Fitz John, Gen 17-19 

Woeman. John, early settler. 243 

Wolfe, Gen., captures Quebec 71 

Wolves, pack of, infest the British 

camp i°7 

Women of British army described. . . 124 

Wood creek 24, 25 

Woodworth, Ephraim 98, 247 

Wraxall, Peter 63 

Wyandotte Panther, the, murderer of 

Jane McCrea 84 

Y 

Yankee Doodle, story of the song 

footnote I "2 






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Also Showing ihc Saratoga Battlc-Fields of Sept. 
• "th and Oct. 7th, 1777. 



JOHN H. BRAN DOW. 

fROM TME V. S, OEOLOUlC«i.'suRV..EV Snf.ETS 

Compjred with Burgoyot's and other MiUtary M,,pi 
ptrsooal survey ol the grounds. 



ocaie. 



Aliour Sword's house anj vlciiiily ffie Brit 
iiped from the 17t)i to ir)l)i Srpt. 
■ Siic of ihe orifiinal Freeinuii cottage. 
OIO battle well. 

'•resent house at FreeiiiiiiiVriinn. 
Where Fraicr was shot. 
Here second lisltle ended, nnil Arnold «n 



• Here Mnjor Ackland .va 

iiiHuy Greindiers fell. 
- "Ill from which Col. Wilkinson ohserred 

■woveineiits of the British just before the 

second battle 
'■ *Wh„n„. stood in >v bFra.er.lied. 



nded. anil s 



11. The remains of Burjjoyne's camp defenses. 

IIIJOOI. 

12. Bur^oyiiS^ pontoon brldjfe. 

13. Fort Nelson, and home u«ed by Morgan 

and Poor for headr]nnrten. 

14. Gates' headqnartera. 

15. American hoapiuir 

IH. AminuBitiou inajfaaloe. 

17. Beinis' Tavern. 

18. Gates' Iloatinp bridge. 

19. Van Deiiber>;*B honse. where the stam- 

peded Inhabitants tarried at night, on 
their Way to safety. 
30. EnsicD's, where Neilion atid the big Indian 
had their lifr and dt-atb 



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